Chapter 1
Clutch power and friction
Chapter 2
The magic of ABS plastic
Chapter 3
Extreme precision engineering
Chapter 4
Structural limits and giant builds
YOUR GOAL
Master of The physics of Lego bricks
Ch 4 · Structural limits and giant builds
BETA
lego Snap and stack plastic bricks to learn how friction and elasticity create everlasting clutch power.
Fun Fact
Crushing weight: A single standard Lego brick can support a weight of about 4,240 Newtons, equivalent to roughly 950 pounds, before collapsing.
Glossary
compressive strength (noun)
The resistance of a material to breaking under compression. In 2012, Open University researchers calculated that a single Lego brick can support 375,000 others.
The resistance of a material to breaking under compression. In 2012, Open University researchers calculated that a single Lego brick can support 375,000 others.
Quiz
What force eventually causes a very tall Lego tower to tip over if it is not perfectly straight?
Quiz
How much force in Newtons can a single standard Lego brick withstand before it physically buckles?
Quiz
How much weight in pounds can a single standard two-by-four Lego brick support before collapsing?
Quiz
Approximately how many standard Lego bricks could be stacked vertically before the bottom brick crushes?