Prove your textbook wrong! A detailed video lesson debunks a traditional explanation for the collapse of a bridge in Tacoma in the 1940s. The narrator outlines why resonance is not the culprit and explains the concept of aeroelastic flutter as the true cause.

Concepts

bridge design, suspension bridges, bridges, aerodynamics, resonance

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Find a video of the Tacoma bridge to show prior to the lesson video
• Include an example of an incorrect textbook explanation for the bridge failing

Classroom Considerations

• Assumes an understanding of resonance

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Offers multiple possible explanations before giving the correct explanation
• Embeds actual video of the bridge during the lesson

Cons

• None