How can you make your pillow fort as cool as
possible? By using maths and science of course!
Just like engineers and architects do!
FORCES
The main goal of almost every building
– your pillow fort included – is just to sit
there, without moving, or breaking, or
collapsing. This area of science is called
statics – the study of static (still)
objects. For an object to be static, all
the forces acting on the object must
cancel one another out.
TENSION
Tension happens when an object (like a
sheet, or a piece of string) is stretched
taut, so that it’s not sagging at all. It
exerts a force on the objects that are
supporting it, and that force pulls the
supports inwards.
To fix this, you could:
• Attach taut objects to sturdy supports
• Keep ceilings a little saggy, rather
than pulling them tight.
GRAVITY
Gravity is the force pulling everything down to Earth. Heavy
objects with more mass exert a stronger gravitational force than
light objects with less mass. If a support structure isn’t strong
enough to hold the weight above it, the whole fort can collapse.
To fix this, you could:
• Place lighter objects higher up in the fort
• Ensure heavy objects are supported by strong supports (such
as tables), or by many supports (spreading out the weight)
• Avoid putting objects in places where there isn’t much
support.
Tip: Try layering multiple sheets to get a dark, cosy room
without the weight of blankets or towels!