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   Do you know what a system is? Think of it as an organized way of doing things. Just about all the goods we use, such as clothing, vehicles, and computers, and all the structures we need -- from homes and schools to roads -- are the result of production systems. There are two major categories of production systems: manufacturing and construction. Manufacturing systems convert materials into products; construction systems use manufactured items to produce something on site, such as a home. During the late 1700s, the Industrial Revolution started in England, and production began to shift from the home to the factory. Production systems in the United States grew because of the discovery and development of new materials, the use of interchangeable parts, and the development of the assembly line. WHAT'S UP IN TECHNOLOGY? illustrates that the introduction of new materials can improve technology. For example, computers became more powerful and efficient when transistors replaced vacuum tubes in the 1950s. This is Your Challenge: Some materials are stronger than others, but the strength of a material can usually be increased if you change its shape. In this activity, you will test the strength of index-card columns of various shapes. In buildings, columns are vertical supports that are usually made of wood, concrete, or steel. The scientific laws that govern construction also apply to a column made of paper. Equipment and Supplies: 3" x 5" index cards, ruler, masking tape, empty coffee can, sand, scale. 
Develop Alternative Solutions: 1. Form a team with two other students. 2. As a team, brainstorm how to make 5"-tall columns from a single index card which, when viewed from one end, look like geometric shapes -- square, triangle, rectangle, and circle. (See diagram below.) 3. Assemble several different columns of each shape, using no more than 5" of tape. (See diagram below for some ideas.) 4. Test each column by placing the empty coffee can on top and gradually filling it with sand until the column fails. Make sure to keep the sand from spilling out as the can falls. Weigh the can of sand and record results.  Select the Best Solution: Discuss the results of your preliminary testing and determine the strongest column shape. Evaluate the Solution: Which column(s) were the strongest? Why? Compare your results to the data gathered by other teams. |