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Corbeled Arch
Purpose
To illustrate how the center of mass position affects the stability of an arch.
Equipment
Eighteen marked 2"x4" wooden blocks with wooden box bases, as photographed.
Images
Description
Identical blocks are piled up with successively greater fractions of their lengths
(1/16, 1/14, 1/12, 1/10, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, and 1/2) extending over the edge of the preceding
block, as shown in the photograph. Even though the top block is entirely over the
edge of the base, the center of mass of the system remains above the base, so the
configuration is stable.
References
(PIRA 1J11.20)
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See pagesb1. center of mass statics
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See pagesb2. equilibrium of forces & torques
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See pagesb3. simple machines
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See pagesb4. elasticity
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See pagesb1. center of mass statics
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See pagesb2. equilibrium of forces & torques
-
See pagesb3. simple machines
-
See pagesb4. elasticity
Physics Lab Demos