Designing Structures: Marshmallow Challenge and Mechanics

This lecture introduces the Marshmallow Design Challenge, where teams build the tallest freestanding structure using spaghetti and marshmallows. The instructor emphasizes the importance of communication through sketches rather than verbal instructions during the challenge. Following the activity, the lecture transitions into a review of the designs created, highlighting the differences between beams, bars, trusses, and frames. The instructor explains the significance of schematic diagrams in engineering mechanics, particularly focusing on free body diagrams for analyzing structures. The lecture also covers the principles of structural stability, emphasizing the role of triangles in creating stable structures. The session concludes with a discussion on the mechanics of cranes and the importance of understanding the behavior of materials under load, setting the stage for future topics in structural mechanics.