Eisco® Garage Physics™: Leonardo da Vinci Bridge Kit

Can five 16" dowels, ten 2-ft-long pieces of wood, and 26 rubber bands (total parts weight, 5 lb) be used to build a bridge that spans 5 ft and can carry 60 lb? Yes! With the Leonardo da Vinci Bridge Kit, your students can construct the bridge and use it to study static forces, pressure, and history. It is an excellent resource for giving students a high-level qualitative overview of stress and strain.

In the late 15th century, Cesare Borgia wanted a bridge built that was light and strong for rapid troop deployments. He turned to Leonardo da Vinci, who designed this bridge between 1485 and 1487. Meeting Borgia's requirements, the bridge required no woodworking expertise, was constructed from only 2 unique parts, and was self-supporting. Unlike da Vinci’s original, this design uses beams that have notches cut in them to suppress lateral forces and rubber bands as fasteners. No tools required for assembly. Kit also includes a complete assembly and teaching guide.