YWPN 2019 Snap, Crack, Bend, and Twist!

Snap, Crack, and Twist

BACK TO YWPN 2019

The girls measured the dimensions of each candy bar to ensure they were the same.

ARO volunteer, Lynn, demonstrated how to set up a 3-Point Bending Test.

After breaking the chocolate, the girls were excited to eat it.

The students created a 3-Point Bending test with two chairs, a chocolate bar, string, and a cup of pennies.

The young women measure the flexural strength of each candy bar by carrying out a 3-Point Bending test.

Snap, Crack, and Twist

The young women from YWPN discovered how different material properties can influence the strength of a material. This lab used 3 chocolate bars with different ingredients to demonstrate how various microstructures affect the flexural strength of the bars. This "strength" is measured by a 3-point bending test where pennies were added slowly to a cup to measure how much load or stress the material could handle before breaking.

This lab used chocolate bars as an example of how glass can have different make-ups and microstructures depending on its intended use. The students learned why it is important for scientists and engineers to understand the mechanical properties of different materials before using them.