Structures and Mechanics with fischertechnik The World of Statics – Level 1

1. Structures and Mechanics with fischertechnik The World of Statics – Level 1

2. What You’ll Learn… • An introduction to the area of physics called mechanics • Basic principles of statics • How to use the fischertechnik construction system • How tables and ladders use bracing for support • How bridges are designed with trusses for support Stuff You’ll Need… • Fischertechnik Profi Mechanic + Static Set • Mechanic + Static Activity Booklet • Mechanic + Static Assembly Instruction • Digital camera

3. ePortfolio Suggestions… • Before you begin the activities in this Learning Launcher, write down anything you already know about statics. • List three interesting things you learned from the What You Should Know… section. • Keep a glossary of new words you learn. Pay particular attention to the bold, italicized words you find. • Take pictures of your fischertechnik models and label each of the parts. • Answer each of the questions in the Activity Booklet. Record your observations in your Project Planner. • Create a narrated video demonstrating how your models perform with and without bracing.

4. What You Should Know… Getting to know fischertechnik… fischertechnik is a precision modeling system designed and produced in Germany. Like many modeling systems, fischertechnik is a great way to model structures and machines on a small scale. Unlike many modeling systems, fischertechnik is the choice of scientists and engineers for sophisticated modeling simulations and experiments. fischertechnik can be used to model large structures and simulate complex machines. With its sensors and computer programming capabilities, fischertechnik is even a sophisticated robotics system. Take the next 15 minutes and explore your fischertechnik Mechanic + Static collection. See if you can figure out the functions of the various parts and how they fit together.

5. What You Should Know… Mechanics… Mechanics is the area of physics concerned with the effect of forces on physical bodies. Mechanics is divided into various areas including statics, which is the study of structural systems that do not move, and dynamics, which is the study of bodies in motion. You can explore both statics and dynamics with your fischertechnik Mechanic + Static kit. In this Learning Launcher, we will focus on statics and structures. Check out the Level 1 – Machines and Gears Learning Launcher if you’re more interested in how machines work.

6. What You Should Know… Statics… You probably don’t think much about things that aren’t moving. Take the desk you’re sitting at right now. When someone designed the desk, they certainly had to think about factors like appearance and cost. But most importantly, they had to design it so that it didn’t wobble or shift. Otherwise, you couldn’t get your work done! Their design had to consider two sources of weight the desk would need to support. There is the weight of the desk itself – that’s called dead weight. And there’s the weight of all the objects that will be placed on the desk, or the force of someone bumping into the side – that’s called traffic load.

7. What You Should Know… Statics… The study of statics is a critical area of engineering. If your desk wobbled a bit, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. But what if you were designing a building or bridge? To design a stationary structure, we need to analyze all of the various forces acting on it. For a structure to be stationary, all of the applied forces, both dead weight and traffic load, must be in balance, cancelling each other out. When all the forces cancel out, we say that the structural system is in static equilibrium. It’s not moving!

8. What You Should Know… Statics… When you put an object on your desk, like a book, gravity acting on the mass of the book (what we call weight) creates a downward force on the desk. The desk must be able to hold the weight without collapsing. In technical terms, we say that the desk must apply an equal and oppositeupward force on the book. If there are no lateral (side-to-side) forces acting on the desk, the forces are in balance. Therefore, the desk and book are in static equilibrium. Therefore, you can get your work done! The weight of the book applies a downward force on the desk The desk applies and equal and opposite upwards force on the book

9. What You Should Know… Statics… When we design a structure like a table or bridge, we need to understand both structural design and materials. So, a related area of science and engineering concerns strength ofmaterials. If a structural element, like your desktop, can support the weight of your book without failing, it means that all the forces within that element must also be in static equilibrium. So when we engineer structures to be stable, we consider both materials and design. We could design your desk with a massively thick desktop and super-heavy legs; it would work, but it would be very expensive. Or, we could be smart and use structural design elements that do the job much more efficiently. And that’s where statics comes in!

10. What You Should Know… Statics… If you’ve ever looked at bridges or large engineered structures, you’ve probably noticed a lot of triangle shapes. These triangles are called trusses.

11. What You Should Know… Statics… Triangles are used because they are the simplest geometric shape that will not change shape when the sides are of fixed length. To make this a little easier to understand, let’s compare the properties of triangles with those of squares. If you apply a lateral(sideways) force on a square, it changes shape easily. That’s because, in a four-sided object, angles can change without changing the length of any side. A lateral force applied here will change the shape of the square To make a square dimensionally stable you must reinforce at least one angle.

12. What You Should Know… Statics… Now let’s see what happens when we apply the same lateral force on a triangle. A lateral force applied here cannot change the shape of the triangle You cannot change any of the angles on a triangle without changing the length of the sides. And if your truss is made of a strong material like structural steel, it’s not going to budge!

13. Do It! Now try building a few simple structures to learn more about statics! Since we’ve been talking about desks, let’s start by building one to see how it works. Find the Activity Booklet in your Mechanic + Static kit. Turn to page 36 and build the Table as shown. You can find assembly instructions on page 85 of the Assembly Instruction book. Be sure to answer the questions in the Activity Guide and record your answers in your Project Planner! Assembly Instruction Activity Booklet

14. Do It! The World of Statics… What did you learn about the importance of braces from your model table? Next, build the Double Ladder on page 37 of the Activity Booklet in your Mechanic + Static kit. You can find assembly instructions on page 88 of the Assembly Instruction book. Answer the questions in the “Your Task” section of the Activity Booklet. Be sure to record your observations in your Project Planner.

15. Do It! The World of Statics… Now try building a tower using what you learned about struts and bracing from building your table and double ladder. You can design one of your own or build the High Hunting Stand on page 39 of your Activity Booklet. Assembly instructions for the High Hunting Stand can be found on page 101 of the Assembly Instruction book. Take pictures of your tower labeling the various parts and describing their function.

16. Try building some of the other structures in the Mechanic + Static Assembly Instruction book. Or design one of your own. Try building one of the mechanical devices in the Mechanic + Static Assembly Instruction book. Take a photograph of a table or ladder or find one on the internet. Can you find structural elements similar to the models you just built? Go online and search for “fischertechnik projects”. Check out some of the amazing things people have built using this sophisticated modeling system. In this Learning Launcher, you learned that a triangleis the simplest shape that cannot change shape when the sides are of fixed length. Can you find other shapes that have this property? What do they have in common? Extend Yourself…