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Top-heavy and fallen
Center of Gravity
Wide base
stable
Base
Square
collapsing
Triangle
staying firm
Engineering Principles
Materials Used
Spaghetti Sticks
Marshmallows
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Marshmallow Towers
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Top-Heavy Structures Are Unstable: When the mass is concentrated high up, the center of gravity rises, making the structure easier to tip over.
Balance is Key: A structure remains upright if the center of gravity stays within the base; if it shifts outside, the structure will fall.
Triangles are strong and stable — their sides push against each other, evenly distributing force and locking the shape in place. That’s why they’re used in bridges and towers.
Squares deform under pressure — without diagonal support, they easily collapse into rhombus shapes because the corners rotate.
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