Engineering Math, Period 2, 11 Sep '09

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The desks in the classroom were edged around the walls today; the centre stacked with with weights, pulleys, hooks and clamps. A number of materials - plastics, fabrics, woods, metals and other moddable items were arrayed next to the equipment.

Mohinder stood in front of a board lined with equations, passing handouts as class assembled.

"There is only so much force you can apply to an object before it breaks," Mohinder started. "Materials have only so much strength in compression," he demonstrated, "and tension." He pointed out the relevent equations behind him, highlighting stresses and strains and structural faults and how they might appear in macro and micro situations.

"But theory can only go so far as an illustration. It's time for you to test the properties of the materials in front of you. How strong are they? Can you predict when it will break? Does it matter how the force is applied? If you have any questions then I'm here, or I'm sure Elle if she's here will be glad to help you."

[OCD is a go!]