Okay, let's talk about famous dead Russian scientists. Specifically:
N. A. Umov.
Rigidity is cool. Sometimes. Structures shouldn't collapse from
their own weight, or under the load they must carry. For example,
there is a canal near my apartment.To cross the single plank bridge
I have to muster oodles of courage! The bridge ominously bends
beneath me and always threatens to dump me into the fast flowing
waters. If the bridge could be made more rigid, I wouldn't worry
so much.
There is an experiment based on the research of Russian physicist
N. A. Umov ( 1846-1915 ) addresses my fears!
If we used a LEGO® baseplate, we could
draw a grid of longitudinal and transverse lines. Bend the plate
and the grid would deform so that the transverse lines remain straight
but are no longer parallel while the longitudinal lines bend.
It's easy to see that the bar's material is subject to stress
on one side and strain on the other! But there's a longitudinal
line in the middle whose appearance does not change. Obviously
( say the physicists ) the entire layer of material behind this
line experiences no deformation...it's generally known as the
"neutral layer." ( No not the "Neutral Zone"
you Trekkie fans! )
The farther a region of the baseplate is from the neutral layer,
the greater the stress or strain it's subject to. The force of
"elastic resistance" ( "This battle station is
insignificant compared to the power of the force!" ) becomes
greater as the distance from the neutral layer becomes greater.
..and the main contribution to the baseplate's rigidity is from
the layer far from the neutral zone. ( Don't take my word... try it out!
) In many situations, the hollow cylinder turns out to be the
best type of structure because of its "axial symmetry"...no
matter how it is loaded it behaves in the same way in every direction!
Most of the body of the cylinder is safely far from the neutral
layer.
A demonstration...
It is in running across little mysteries like these....who was
Umov?... What did he look like?...Why is there so little written
about such an influential man? ( Most of the sources listed in
the Dictionary are from Russian and German Academia ).... that
brings out my true joy in experimenting with LEGO®
elements. They naturally lead the student to these sort of questions,
and that is the chief goal of an educator.
I think I was so attracted to this set of basic architectural
principles because of the mystery behind it. Jason holds a degree
in physics...easily recognized the name of Umov and could elaborate
on the Umov principle...but could not tell me one thing about the
man other than he was Russian.
I searched the Web, but only found two references in Russian at
Moscow State University...both indicating he taught there and nothing
more. I headed down to the library, but struck out in the periodicals.
After several visits, I found a brief biography in THE DICTIONARY
OF SCIENTIFIC BIOGRAPHY ( published 1990, ISBN068416967-3 ). It
turns out Umov's father was also a physicist who studied entomology.
Umov studied math and taught physics and eventually ended as a
professor at Novorossiia University. At that time he met up with
Mechnikov and Sechenov ( you can hear the physics types audibly
*gasp* ). In 1893 he moved to Moscow as a professor of physics
at Moscow State University. He became department head but left to protest
the reactionary policies of the Ministry of Education. Things
were going to get lively in that neck of the woods!
I impressed the dickens out of the late night coffee crowd with
Umov's achievements! The man was both a theoretical and experimental
physicist. While in Moscow, he lectured on the mechanics of bones,
physiological optics and acoustics! Although I am looking at his
work on elastic stresses within a solid body, he is famous for
studying energy transfer ( he discovered "energy flux" known
as "Umov's Vector" ) and developed spectral apparatus
that became widely used in industry!
If are a descendent of N.A. Umov, or know something about him...please
send me some email! I would like to build a LEGO®sculpture
of this mighty scientist!
I freely borrowed from Alexander Borovoy in an article
he wrote for QUANTUM in January of 1990. Write him a letter and
tell him he is beyond cool!
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