Experimental Data
The experimental data provided in this document was gathered by
summer students
in the Geometry Center's Summer Institute for undergraduates.
The "beams" used were meter sticks:
- Aluminum beam
- height = 0.002 m
- width = 0.029 m
- Pine beam
- height = 0.008 m
- width = 0.026 m
Data for a total of 17 experiments are presented here.
The error in measurement of the deflection is approximately
+/-0.001 m (=1 mm).
Please contact the Calculus Development Team
if you have experimental data that you would like to share.
Aluminum Beam Experiments
- Cantilevered
- Length = 0.25 m; 0.00 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.25 m; 0.05 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.25 m; 0.10 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.50 m; 0.00 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.50 m; 0.05 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.50 m; 0.10 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.00 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.05 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.10 kg concentrated at the end.
- Simply-Supported
- Length = 0.90 m; 0.00 kg concentrated in the middle.
- Length = 0.90 m; 0.05 kg concentrated in the middle.
- Length = 0.90 m; 0.10 kg concentrated in the middle.
Pine Beam Experiments
- Cantilevered
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.00 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.10 kg concentrated at the end.
- Length = 0.75 m; 0.20 kg concentrated at the end.
- Simply-Supported
- Length = 0.90 m; 1.00 kg concentrated in the middle.
- Length = 0.90 m; 2.00 kg concentrated in the middle.
Go to: Simulation of Bending Beams
Go to: Conclusions
The Geometry Center Calculus Development Team
Copyright 1996 by The Geometry Center.
Last modified: Fri Mar 29 12:55:38 1996