Table of Contents
- 1 Why do soldiers break step before crossing a suspension bridge?
- 2 Why does the soldiers instructed to march out of step while crossing a bridge?
- 3 Why are soldiers asked to break steps?
- 4 What caused the Broughton suspension bridge to collapse?
- 5 What is a break step?
- 6 Why did the Broughton suspension bridge collapse?
Why do soldiers break step before crossing a suspension bridge?
If their frequency is closely matched to the bridge’s frequency, the soldiers’ rhythmic marching will amplify the vibrational frequency of the bridge. “Many pedestrians fell spontaneously into step with the bridge’s vibrations, inadvertently amplifying them,” according to a 2005 report in Nature.
Why does the soldiers instructed to march out of step while crossing a bridge?
While crossing the bridge when soldiers march in steps each soldier exerts a periodic force in same phase and therefore the bridge executes the forced vibrations of frequency equal to the frequency of their steps. So the soldiers are advised to break their steps while crossing the bridge.
Why soldiers don’t march past on the bridge explain it?
Answer: Marching soldiers are cautioned to break stride on a bridge, lest they match the bridge’s frequency of vibration. A force that’s applied to an object at the same frequency as the object’s natural frequency will amplify the vibration of the object in an occurrence called mechanical resonance.
Why are soldiers asked to break steps?
When a troop crosses a suspension bridge, the soldiers are asked to break steps. The reason is that when soldiers march in steps, all the separate periodic forces exerted by them are in same phase and therefore forced vibrations of a particular frequency are produced in the bridge.
What caused the Broughton suspension bridge to collapse?
On 12 April 1831, the bridge collapsed, reportedly due to mechanical resonance induced by troops marching in step. As a result of the incident, the British Army issued an order that troops should “break step” when crossing a bridge.
Why are soldiers ordered out of step?
Every oscillator has its own frequency of oscillation. If soldiers march in steps and frequency of marching steps is the same as that of frequency of bridge, then bridge will be set into resonant vibrations and hence collapse. That is why soldiers are asked to break their steps.
What is a break step?
Definition of break step : to stop walking or marching with the same rhythm as another person or group of people The soldier was startled and broke step.