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
Ch 4 · Structural limits and giant builds
Quiz
How much weight in pounds can a single standard two-by-four Lego brick support before collapsing?
BETA
lego Snap and stack plastic bricks to learn how friction and elasticity create everlasting clutch power.
Quiz
Approximately how many standard Lego bricks could be stacked vertically before the bottom brick crushes?
Quiz
How much force in Newtons can a single standard Lego brick withstand before it physically buckles?
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.
Quiz
What force eventually causes a very tall Lego tower to tip over if it is not perfectly straight?
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.