The Strangest, Most Spectacular Bridge Collapse (And How We Got It Wrong)
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-myth-of-galloping-gertie
For physics teachers, the footage of Gertie has proved
irresistible as a lesson in wave motion--and, specifically, a
textbook example of the power of forced resonance. The image of
the undulating bridge left its mark on scores of students
(including me) as a demonstration of what one canonical version
of the film calls "resonance vibrations." Since then, scores of
books and articles, from Encyclopedia Britannica to a Harvard
course website, have reported that the Tacoma Narrows was
destroyed by resonance. But it turns out it wasn't.
- - -
A long and fascinating article about a bridge collapse, and the filmed
footage that we've all likely seen many times in our lives.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently doing so.
My opinions expressed here are mine alone.
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