As part of their ongoing education into all things physics,
The Prep's physics students were tasked with the annual
first quarter Bridge Building challenge.  Their goal was to
build a bridge using only toothpicks and glue that could hold
a load that was five pounds minimum.   

After researching various bridge types and some of the
physics that went into constructing bridges, students built
bridges that covered a wide variety of types including girder,
truss, and even arched bridges.

Students worked either solo or in teams of two and their
bridges competed for the heaviest load, most aesthetically
pleasing, and most economical (highest load/mass of bridge
ratio) awards.

The bridges were tested by hanging a bucket from them and
then slowly filling it with kitty litter until the bridge broke or
slipped from the tables.  The bucket held a maximum of 26
pounds of load and when the kitty litter settled at the end of
the day three bridges withstood the full amount.  

These were built by Ethan Osmundson, Randi Endicott, and
the team of Jesse Acuna & Bret Lupe.   
Physics students build toothpick bridges
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