[Guest]

A large truck is crossing a bridge 10 miles long. The bridge can only hold 14000 lbs, which is the exact weight of the truck. The truck makes it half way across the bridge and stops. A bird lands on the truck.

Does the bridge collapse? Give a reason.

[grey cells]

Maybe I know the answer. If the bird perches itself on the exact centre of the truck , the truck will not collapse. I think some concept called centre of gravity . Not sure though.

[Guest]

A large truck is crossing a bridge 10 miles long. The bridge can only hold 14000 lbs, which is the exact weight of the truck. The truck makes it half way across the bridge and stops. A bird lands on the truck.

Does the bridge collapse? Give a reason.

Because if the bridge is strong enough to withstand the force of a 14000lb truck stopping, then it's strong enough to hold the force of a stationary 14000lb truck plus a bird.

Unless the bird is a pterodactyl or something!

[Guest]

A large truck is crossing a bridge 10 miles long. The bridge can only hold 14000 lbs, which is the exact weight of the truck. The truck makes it half way across the bridge and stops. A bird lands on the truck.

Does the bridge collapse? Give a reason.

Engineering rules, have a margin of safety built in (was 50% when I was a lad)

No

If I'm wrong, the bridge does not collapse - lets hope the bird dies, flies but has no friends

[Guest]

if the truck weights 14,000 lbs then the bridge would collapse with the extra weight of the fuel. If the truck weighs 14,000lbs including the fuel then no becuase as it has gone half way across we would need to subtract the weight of the fuel. Unless we have one very heavy bird...

[Guest]

Everyone should think like a newbie this is quite a few now where the newbie gets it right well done andreay

[Guest]

Everyone should think like a newbie this is quite a few now where the newbie gets it right well done andreay

The bridge doesn't collapes because the truck is burning feul. So it's not 14,000 lbs. when the bird lands on it!

[itachi-san]

What if it's a condor?

[Guest]

A 14000 lb truck would probably get close to 8 mpg, so it would burn about 5/8 gallon to get halfway across a bridge. Since gas weighs about 6 lbs/gallon, that would be close to 4lbs of gas. A large raven can be over 4 lbs. A condor can weigh as much as 40 lbs. An ostrich can weigh in at over 300lbs! The bridge is doomed.

[Guest]

An ostrich can weigh in at over 300lbs! The bridge is doomed.

Safe to say an ostrich won't land on your truck - rare probability (math again, but zillion to one is my guess), due to being FLIGHTLESS however a new specis that may be taken into the equation is the migrational penguin

[akaslickster]

no it won't collapse because the odds are to low. 14000lbs. is a ball-park figure and a 4-gram bird would not be a difference.

[Guest]

Each bridge can hold more than is said,but even if can't the truck will burn enough fuel to compensate the weight of small bird.

A large truck is crossing a bridge 10 miles long. The bridge can only hold 14000 lbs, which is the exact weight of the truck. The truck makes it half way across the bridge and stops. A bird lands on the truck.

Does the bridge collapse? Give a reason.