Key concepts
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Materials science
- Structures
Introduction
Have you ever noticed that some big doorways—especially in old buildings—have arches over them? Arches have been used in engineering since ancient times. In this activity you'll test the strength of a naturally occurring arch shape: the shell of an egg. So grab some leftover Easter eggs and put them to good use in trying to answer the following question: Just how much mass can an eggshell support?
Image: Strong as eggshells? Learn about how the arched shape of an egg makes it shell stronger than you might expect! George Retseck
