7 best engineerings

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A Conversation with David Macaulay

Explainer-in-Chief David Macaulay talks about the ins and outs of updating his essential guide to the world of machines - The Way Things Work Now.

Product description

Do you ever wonder how bridges span huge distances and how skyscrapers stay standing? Structural engineers use physics and their knowledge of the properties of building materials and geometric shapes to design structures with sufficient strength and stability. With this kit of modular building pieces, you can learn the basics of structural engineering by conducting a series of 20 model-building experiments. Each model demonstrates a basic principle of mechanical physics or structural engineering in a hands-on way. Start out with small models that demonstrate how structural elements can be attached together to maximize the strength of a structure for a fixed amount of material used. Learn about basic structural elements including columns, beams, trusses, plates, arches, shells, and catenary. Explore the forces acting on structural components including tension, compression, shear, and bending. Move onto building more complex models of trusses, roofs, and small buildings. Experiment with different types of bridge construction: a truss bridge, arch bridge, cantilever bridge, rope bridge, and suspension bridge. Finally, build models of towering skyscrapers. What is the tallest tower you can build using only the pieces included in the kit? Learn about the strength and stiffness of materials. See how structural engineers optimize factors to maximize safety, and minimize cost and the risk of structural failure. A 36-page, full-color manual guides you through model building with step-by-step illustrated instructions.

• Build 20 different models that each teach about force, load, compression, tension and more
• Over 285 interchangeable building pieces
• Includes 36-page, illustrated experiment manual and Assembly guide
• Skill level: Intermediate

User questions & answers

Question:	Does the manual come in other languages like French
Answer:	No, the manual for this kit is in English.
Question:	Does it come with a case to store the parts when not is use
Answer:	No
Question:	can he play with it without reading the booklet
Answer:	Thank you for your question. With all of our engineering kits, we encourage our users to continue to build beyond the models in the manual. The experiment manual teaches the principles of Architectural Engineering that you can use to come up with your own designs.
Question:	are these compatible with legos
Answer:	No, they are not.

Product features

Structural Engineering: Bridges & Skyscrapers

Do you ever wonder how bridges span huge distances and how skyscrapers stay standing? Structural engineers use physics and their knowledge of the properties of building materials and geometric shapes to design structures with sufficient strength and stability.

With this kit of modular building pieces, you can learn the basics of structural engineering by conducting a series of 20 model-building experiments. Each model demonstrates a basic principle of mechanical physics or structural engineering in a hands-on way.

The Models: Bridges

After kids build small models to demonstrate how structural elements can be attached together to maximize the strength of a structure, they can move on to building more complex models and experiment with different types of bridge construction: a truss bridge, arch bridge, cantilever bridge, rope bridge, and suspension bridge.

The Models: Skyscrapers

First kids can follow the instructions to build two different towering skyscraper models. Then, they're tasked with using their imagination and the knowledge gained from their model building to build the tallest skyscraper they can, using only the pieces in the kit. Further information goes into detail about five types of skyscraper structural systems and the maximum number of floors that can be achieved with each type.

The Manual

The 44-page, full-color manual provides detailed step-by-step instructions for assembling the 20 models in the kit. After constructing each model, short experiments pose questions to get kids thinking like a structural engineer.

What's Inside

The kit comes with 323 building pieces to build and experiment with 20 different structural models of varying sizes, each designed to provide an introduction to structural engineering. The plastic building system is compatible with other Thames & Kosmos Construction, Engineering, and Physics kits--combine the pieces to create your own configurations limited only by your imagination!

Educational Value

Kids learn additional information about the forces acting on structural elements including tension, compression, shear, and bending in the 'Check It Out' sections of the manual. They'll also learn about basic structural elements including columns, beams, trusses, plates, arches, shells, and catenary. The manual also provides insight into the strength and stiffness of materials and how structural engineers optimize factors to maximize safety, and minimize cost and the risk of structural failure.

Quality Assurance & Customer Satisfaction

Thames & Kosmos is committed to providing quality products that users can enjoy and learn from for a long time. Our customer service department is available to troubleshoot any problems that may arise while using our kits, and replacement parts are also available. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We love our products and want you to have the best possible experience with them!

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