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Do Try This At Home | Spaghetti Bridges

Build a bridge from spaghetti and test it to breaking point!

Welcome back to Do Try This At Home - our series of super-fun weekly science activities.

Our building is closed right now, but that doesn't mean we can't do some science at home.

This week, we are going to be building bridges!

Where

At home

Who for

Families

You will need

1. Spaghetti - or something similar to be your beams. We used linguine but it doesn't even need to be pasta. Try pencils, toothpicks - be as creative as you need to be!

2. Paper

3. Something to stick it all together, like glue. We used a glue stick but you could use Blutack or even marshmallows

4. Sellotape - to bundle the spaghetti sticks. You could also use rubber bands

5. A bowl or a bin to keep spare broken bits of spaghetti

Bridges

Bristol's name comes from the Old English word Brycgstow which means 'place at the bridge'.

Bristol is famous for its Suspension Bridge, but the reference to bridges in Bristol's name probably comes from old bridges scattered up and down the Avon and the River Frome.

Bristol has plenty to offer, bridge wise, including these four types of bridge.

Can you match these descriptions to the Bristol Bridges?

Beam Bridge	Truss Bridge	Arch Bridge	Suspension Bridge
The bridge is made of a long flat beam.	The beam is made stronger with beams in triangular shapes called 'trusses'.	Arch shapes are very strong because they distribute the load to the ends of the bridge.	The beam of the bridge hangs off a long cable, suspended from towers at each end.