From Eggs to Engineering: A Structural STEM Adventure

The Girls in STEM Club returned to the Discovery Science and Technology Centre to explore structural strength through hands-on experiments with strong shapes.

The session began with testing paper folded into various 3D forms, triangular prism, square prism, cylinder, and hexagonal prism.  The girls placed weights on each shape to see how much load it could support before collapsing, sparking great discussion around the strength and stability of different geometries.

They then connected this learning to real-life examples.  The students discovered that an egg can withstand significant pressure when force is applied vertically to its top and bottom, but it cracks easily under pressure from the sides.  Similarly, an empty soft drink can supported the weight of a girl standing on it, though when the pressure was applied from the side it crumpled.  A highlight of the night was watching the students stand on real light bulbs, demonstrating just how strong certain shapes and materials can be when force is applied correctly.

Next, the girls applied this knowledge to bridge-building using a single sheet of paper.  Some used flat sheets, others created corrugations or formed tubes.  Each design was tested to see how much weight it could bear, emphasizing how design influences strength.

To wrap up, the girls worked in teams to build the longest possible paper bridge capable of supporting two weights.  All teams succeeded, with the longest bridge spanning an impressive 1.18 metres.

It was a night of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on engineering fun!