The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse on Film and Video
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| Title: | The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse on Film and Video |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Olson, Don, Hook, Joseph, Doescher, Russell, Wolf, Steven |
| Source: | Physics Teacher. Nov 2015 53(8):461-465. |
| Availability: | American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 5 |
| Publication Date: | 2015 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | High Schools Secondary Education Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Scientists, Mechanics (Physics), Films, Video Technology, Video Equipment, Weather, High School Students, College Students, Secondary School Science, College Science |
| Geographic Terms: | Washington |
| DOI: | 10.1119/1.4933145 |
| ISSN: | 0031-921X |
| Abstract: | This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. During a gale on Nov. 7, 1940, the bridge exhibited remarkable oscillations before collapsing spectacularly (Figs. 1-5). Physicists over the years have spent a great deal of time and energy studying this event. By using open-source analysis tools and digitized footage of the disaster, physics students in both high school and college can continue in this tradition. Students can watch footage of "Galloping Gertie," ask scientific questions about the bridge's collapse, analyze data, and draw conclusions from that analysis. Students should be encouraged to pursue their own investigations, but the question that drove our inquiry was this: When physics classes watch modern video showing the oscillations and the free fall of the bridge fragments, are these scenes sped up, slowed down, or at the correct speed compared to what was observed by the eyewitnesses on Nov. 7, 1940? |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 24 |
| Entry Date: | 2015 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1079244 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. During a gale on Nov. 7, 1940, the bridge exhibited remarkable oscillations before collapsing spectacularly (Figs. 1-5). Physicists over the years have spent a great deal of time and energy studying this event. By using open-source analysis tools and digitized footage of the disaster, physics students in both high school and college can continue in this tradition. Students can watch footage of "Galloping Gertie," ask scientific questions about the bridge's collapse, analyze data, and draw conclusions from that analysis. Students should be encouraged to pursue their own investigations, but the question that drove our inquiry was this: When physics classes watch modern video showing the oscillations and the free fall of the bridge fragments, are these scenes sped up, slowed down, or at the correct speed compared to what was observed by the eyewitnesses on Nov. 7, 1940? |
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| ISSN: | 0031-921X |
| DOI: | 10.1119/1.4933145 |
