Instructional Video

The Tacoma Narrows Fallacy

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Prove your textbook wrong! A detailed video lesson debunks a traditional explanation for the collapse of a bridge in Tacoma in the 1940s. The narrator outlines why resonance is not the culprit and explains the concept of aeroelastic flutter as the true cause.

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Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Find a video of the Tacoma bridge to show prior to the lesson video
  • Include an example of an incorrect textbook explanation for the bridge failing
Classroom Considerations
  • Assumes an understanding of resonance
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Offers multiple possible explanations before giving the correct explanation
  • Embeds actual video of the bridge during the lesson
Cons
  • None