Azerbaijan Tower

Tower of Terror

1.)      Draw a diagram of your structure with labels


2.     State why you believe your structure will withstand the simulation of seismic waves.


















  1. Jason Rivera 301
    Jason Rivera 301January 31,13

    It will withstand the seismic waves because we have a barrier of cover around the actual building were simulated residents would stay. So the simulated impact wouldn’t hit our building directly it would hit our outter wall. Think “The walls of Troy” Also we are adding one of two things. We will add a specific spot for the simulated impact to occur. So we can a specific spot for impact. Finally our building has a little stretch so if impact occurs it doesn’t automatically snap or fall. The waves may shake it but it will take a lot of continues impact for along period of time to break.

  2. Miles Esters
    Miles EstersJanuary 31,13


    I believe our structure is the best structure because the structure is firmly supported unlike many of the other structures I have seen in the class thus far. Our tepee design is ideal because our structure is in the middle and it is supported by 6 of the long wood sticks that are firmly placed into the styrofoam. We tied the wood sticks to our structure in the center with the rope and we cut rubber bands and tied it around so it can be flexible. Our structure is not to firm but not to loose making it able to take P waves and S waves without falling.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Would this be a good building in a hot possibly humid climate? why or why not?

  3. Alex Nguyen
    Alex NguyenJanuary 31,13

    I believe that our structure will withstand seismic waves because it is not too stiff. We did not make the structure of our building too tight so when the waves hit the structure the structure will move freely with the waves. The structure is not too loose so it should not collapse on impact. On our field trip we learned the structure of the skyscraper and how it was made to resist the high winds. By being able to wobble when the wind blows at the structure. Which is how are structure will with stand the seismic waves.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      I’d Like a little more infomation about the construction of your tower.

  4. Kyle Palmore
    Kyle PalmoreJanuary 31,13

    My groups design is a 23 inch tall square pyramid. It has 8 legs with connectors to keep the building upright and supported. Each floor will be 6 inches tall, the extra space will be a surprise. I believe this will work because it has support and has center of balance in it’s center. When the waves hit it, it will move, but it wont crumble or fall. It has necessary parts to make sure it is stable, and no unnecessary parts to add weight , and jeopardize the building’s balance, and the competition. I believe our group’s design will work because it is completely logical, and well thought about. It has a reasonable amount of materials, well constructed, and has properties that give it a good chance to stay upright for a while; it has the potential to win.

  5. Naa Ashitey Mr. Beck's Class
    Naa Ashitey Mr. Beck's ClassJanuary 31,13

    Naa Ashitey
    Mr. Russell/ Mr. Beck
    January 30, 2013

    My groups building design would be in a shape of an hourglass. This kind of structure unlike others will substantively decrease the effect of seismic waves in factors of sustainability, and structure that were affected by seismic waves.


    The sustainability of our build can with stand seismic waves by limiting the amount of weight we put in to the actual building. Because we know that a certain weight that can decompress the entire building. We have to make sure we know how much of our materials to make sure, we don’t over use it. Even do it’s good to know that you can build a building that can stand with all our materials, with hourglass building, we won’t overuse our supplies, then leading to a better building techniques.


    Another component that can help our building help withstand against seismic waves is the structure of our building. Unlike doing a simple rectangle, and triangle design, we wanted to be able to hold with heavy weight. That’s why we wanted to do an hourglass with a base that sinks into the bottom with pegs to stop the building from being moved to keep it in place. With that we know how our building can stand and succeed against seismic waves

    These are the reasons why that our building can withstand against seismic waves.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      what did you use to stable your joints? or connecting parts?

  6. Megan Carney Room:301
    Megan Carney Room:301January 31,13

    Building Project

    My group and I are creating a building that will be very sturdy when the waves hit. Our structure will be able to withstand the movement caused by the wave simulation. The building we have been designing is similar to a pyramid. Each level is smaller than the one beneath. We believe this will be the most sturdy design.
    Our building is in a diamond shape. We think this will be the best way to keep the building in tact from being hit with the waves. The base of our building is Styrofoam and Popsicle Sticks are paced in the Styrofoam. Each floor is 6 inches, which is equal to one popsicle stick. The width of the first floor is 6 inches wide. The second floor is placed 2 inches into the first floor. The third floor is another 2 inches into the second floor.
    We think this is will be sturdy and will be able to stay intact after the wave simulation because the bottom is wider than the top. Since the bottom is wider when the wave hit’s the building won’t move as much because the thinner part is at the top. If the bottom of the building was thinner it might be more likely to be destroyed after the wave. Also if the building was the same width for the whole thing it would also be more likely to break. If the whole building is the same width then the wave hitting it would affect the whole building and not just a small part.
    The building my group has designed will most likely be able to withstand the wave simulation. We put a lot of thought into the design. We took into consideration the wave simulation while designing. We think this design with be the best for this experiment.

  7. Ngozi Amadikwu
    Ngozi AmadikwuJanuary 31,13

    I believe that our structure will stand because,our structure is a combination of different shapes,by our structure being a composition of different shapes it will be prone to an attack on the surface.Not only that but we used rubber bands to hold the floors together.When a rubber band has interacted with a surface or a person it bounces back,therefore making reference to that my team believes that if we use the amount of rubber bands that we did,when a seismic waves comes it will sway,but it will not topple,because the rubber bands will bounce back.Causing the building to withstand any type of effect to it.A great foundation is the start of everything.and our structure has a great foundation.We used the big stick as stilts on the bottom of the base at four corners,so that not only can it stand firm but most importantly it will stand.Our building has a unique shape of circles,and a circle of course has a circular figure,so if anything happens it will bounce back.I watched a video one time,whereby they spoke about building structures,and they said that when a natural disaster hits the building , it needs to sway in order to stay up,if the building does not sway it will crash and fall.*Keep that in mind*That is Why I believe that our structure will be able to stand the seismic waves that will be heading our way! ^.<

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      I’m a little unclear how the rubber bands will allow you to have a more stable structure. I understand that the idea is to bend or give with waves; however I’m a little unsure how this will give the building support. Please Clarify

  8. Arianna Zielinski room 301
    Arianna Zielinski room 301January 31,13

    Arianna Zielinski
    Mr. Russell
    Will my structure withstand the p wave and s wave test?
    A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Russell showed my class, room 301, a video of a bridge that was built. The constructers didn’t account for the waves and the wind, so the bridge started swaying, and then ended up crumbling. He then gave a lecture about how skyscrapers stand up, even in natural disasters. After the lecture, he proposed us with a task: Build a building that is both creative and can withstand p waves and s waves. And so, my group’s building was born.
    My group’s design is a diamond shape pyramid building. Our inspiration was the pyramids in Egypt. Both withstand natural disaster because they stick into the ground, so that it has support from the ground, and as it gets higher, there is less weight on the top, so it won’t topple over and break. We have also designed where it is wider than taller, so that it has more stability and support. I think my group has the best build and it will pass the tests and be the last building standing.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Your building looks great and you used the most of your modeling clay as your main bonding component. This gives you color and texture to the building; but not necessarily strength. do you have any building components that will bend but not break when tested?

  9. Amara Brandt 301
    Amara Brandt 301January 31,13

    2.) I believe my group’s model will withstand the simulation of sesmic waves because. Our structure is kind of built like a rocking chair. The structure itself is not, but the demisions are ( i don’t know how to explain it). When yuo hit it or bump into it’s not still nor does is fall over. It starts sway kind of like a skyscraper but it’s not as tall, and it sways more always trying to balance both sides instead of just falling over to one side. Beacuse of this it;s also kind of like that thing thats’ in the middle of a large body of water that never falls over but floats and sways on top of the waves.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      your rocking chair design seems to have changed is this because you may have run out of time?

  10. Juan Gonzalezz
    Juan GonzalezzJanuary 31,13

    Our structure will withstand the seismic wave test because we have built a tepee like structure with a support pole in the centerif the structure to support it as it is hit with P-Waved and S-waves. We haVe semi-simulated the structure by hitting it with a logn stick on the sides and it has completely withstanded it. We have tied a knot with some string to add support.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Your building looks very stable; however I’m a little confused at what constitutes a floor in your building. Can you explain?

  11. Anam Qadri
    Anam QadriFebruary 1,13

    1. On paper.
    2. We believe it will withstand the simulation of seismic waves because since it would be very sturdy, it wouldn’t be able to really break. The seismic waves hopefully wouldn’t be able to break. But we still have to finish it on Monday so hope al goes well and we win.

    This was due on January 31st.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Received your paper! However I would like more information on your building process.

  12. Kanita Seferovic 301
    Kanita Seferovic 301February 1,13

    Kanita Seferovic
    Mr. Russell

    Group Members: Me, Arianna, Anam, and Megan

    I believe our structure will be the able to withstand the simulation of seismic waves. I believe this for three reasons; we have a sturdy design, weight, and height.
    The design for our model consists of a diamond with a height of 6 inches and three stories of this. Instead of having each floor on top of each other, each length decreases by 6 in. So, we have three diamonds, each one smaller than the other. Since each floor is not the same, there will be less weight on the top. This means that the building will not be too heavy and cause it to fall.
    Two Popsicle sticks were stuck into the Styrofoam at each corner, therefore; the bottom of the building was securely attached to the base, increasing the likelihood of withstanding the simulation of seismic waves. Also, the long cylinder was attached with glue, clay, and small sticks were stuck into the clay, so it will probably be able to withstand the shaking.
    We used Popsicle sticks to build the building. We glued them together and then put clay underneath, which would allow for the sticks to fall on the clay instead of on the base. Also, we cut around the cylinder and then we put the sticks in them, instead of gluing them to the cylinder, which would cause the sticks to fall. If the sticks do fall, then they will fall on a rubber band attached around the cylinder and this once again reduces the chance of the sticks falling.
    We have support for our body with clay. If glue is not enough support for the Popsicle sticks, the clay will be used. The stronger the hold is with glue and clay, the better chance of the material not falling apart.
    The height of the building will be approximately 24 inches. This means that it will not be too tall and this will not cause the building to fall down and is above the shortest height possible.
    To add to the height of the building, which would make it taller than 18 inches, we will have an antenna. We will boil to sticks and then twist them to create our antenna. This will add to the creativity of our building and height.
    Our group needs to be careful when adding the antenna so that it would not be too much for the building. The worst that could happen is that everything is sturdy and then the antenna causes the building to fall.
    This is our plan for our building and the factors (height, weight, support, and design) will help our structure withstand the simulation of seismic waves. For the creative part, we plan to have floors of different lengths and a twisted antenna.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      During the finale of your construction your group seemed pressed for time. You also used the majority of glue to put up Popsicle barriers, was this part of your strategy?

  13. Alma Seferovic
    Alma SeferovicFebruary 1,13

    Alma Seferovic Rm. 301
    Mr. Russell
    Science Question
    2. The structure my teammates (Jessica, Melissa, Yonas, Alex) and I will withstand the stimulation of seismic waves because of the many factors that we have created. The size of the entire building will be 21 inches, which is a reasonable size because it will not be too high or too small. It will be the right size. The building will be supported by thin sticks that will be 18 inches tall. These will make the building stand tall while not leaning over. The center is 18 inches and it is tall enough to support the center of the building to make sure the building does not fall down. The center is supported by clay which will make the center sturdy and it will make it stand without leaning. If it leans, the building will eventually lean. Then it would not be able to withstand such an impact from the seismic waves. The center is also supported by little pieces of sticks about 6 inches to make sure the center is sturdy in case the clay fails to help keep the center straight and sturdy. The building will be centered on circles so it will mimic an hourglass shape. The building will be surrounded by circles which will protect the building and show the different stories to have the correct height.
    The roof will be a dome that will be 3 inches. The roof will be connected by thin sticks to cross each other. This will form a dome and it will be sturdy. I predict it will not fall but it is sturdy enough to withstand the seismic waves. The hourglass structure will feature crossing pieces of sticks to represent the illusion of an actual hourglass. It will be there for decoration and not for support in the building. The structure is put together securely and is sure enough to withstand anything it comes against. The building has a strong support system at the bottom and middle parts while the roof is going to carry a dome shape and support the top part of the structure. The building is and will be strong because of its main factors. The building is the right size of 21 inches and it will be strong enough to withstand the seismic waves.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Same question I asked of your other partners; how do you plan on building the dome?

  14. Aiesha Arboleda - Rm. 301
    Aiesha Arboleda - Rm. 301February 1,13

    Aiesha Arboleda
    Mr. Russell
    Tower of Terror
    Group Members: Aiesha, Emily, Isabella, and Andrea

    2. After much decision making and brainstorming, we have come up with our idea. What my group decided to do (Andrea, Isabella, and Emily), was make a triangle building. We chose to do this because the waves will come from different angles. If it was a square building, it’ll just fall flat. Originally, we were thinking of making the walls made out of rubber bands because they would be able to absorb the impact. But, our plan failed because the rubber bands were toot tight. they would make them squeeze together! Instead, we’re trying to use the string. For our base, we decided to make a support by digging through the styrofoam. We were inspired by the buildings in Japan because, they start their buildings underground and have base insulation pads. They would stick to the styrofoam whenever the waves are coming at the building. According to this article:
    “The isolation devices are essentially giant rubber-and-steel pads that are installed at the very bottom of the excavation for a building, which then simply sits on top of the pads. The dissipation units are built into a building’s structural skeleton. They are hydraulic cylinders that elongate and contract as the building sways, sapping the motion of energy.” We used clay most of the time instead of glue because it was very time consuming and it was easier to use. Our building is 18 inches long because u said that there should be at 3 stories (measured by the length of 3 popsicles).

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      Did you try cutting the rubber bands? if you had more time would you have used less glue?

  15. Melissa Yuen
    Melissa YuenFebruary 2,13

    Our original idea involved a structure similar to that of an hourglass figure. It would be supported by a center weight and other surrounding supports. It would resemble an hourglass because there would be additional curves and it would not only add to the appearance but the balance of the overall structure. On the top of the structure, there would be a dome so that it would not be just a flat surface. The full structure would be approximately 21 inches tall and have a diameter of about the length of two Popsicle sticks together. The floors or levels would be shown by rope or flexible sticks. Glue and clay would be used to hold the structure together and help ensure its strength and seismic safety.

    Height: When engineering structures, it is highly significant to consider possible heights, especially to avoid damage or destruction from seismic waves. When seismic waves travel through a structure, it causes it to sway because of the energy moving through it. Increased height allows for more flexibility; this is why taller buildings would prove to be safer because less energy is required to stabilize itself, to prevent it from collapsing. Shorter buildings are often more stiff, causing it to be more vulnerable to damage. Flexibility is important in the creation of a structure. However, buildings that are built shorter than others need more consideration to withstand greater forces. Our structure is neither short or too tall. We believe this to be a good thing because we fear if it is too tall, it will topple over and if it is too short, the energy will not transfer and pass, causing it to break easily.

    Flexibility: While forming our idea, we took great consideration in using certain materials. Materials are an important factor in the construction of structures because it can easily affect flexibility and other qualities. We wanted to design a structure that would be able to absorb the waves traveling through the height of the building. Additional floors and walls could be built to transfer this energy from the building to the base. Supports in a building and the points at which the structure is joined may also reinforce safety.

    Weight: Before we began to put parts together, we realized weight would be something important to consider as well. Too much weight would create an imbalanced structure; because of this, we chose to focus the weight in the center of the building. To support this, thinner sticks would be used to support the center weight and create balance. The stick used in the middle of the structure also has a heavier end and a lighter end. The lighter end was put on top and the heavier end on the bottom to decrease the structure’s vulnerability to collapse.

    Joints: The parts of the structure that meet also heavily influence safety. The building used both glue and clay to secure these parts to form strong joints. Glue was mainly used to put these pieces together while we focused on using clay to keep our structure attached to its base.

    Undetermined Idea:
    While beginning our project, we discovered how time-consuming it was to plan for the construction of our building. The idea of an hourglass figure was mainly developed because of its modern, stylistic design. Because of this, we may possibly change the idea. So far, we have only constructed a base which is the weighted center. Perhaps, we will decide to construct a pyramid figure with a truss design so that the building may transfer energy from seismic waves and also be protected from collapsing easily. This is because the wall designs will allow seismic waves to travel more smoothly and the building would be stabilized since it grows narrower from the base to the top of the structure.

    • Andrew Russell
      Andrew RussellFebruary 4,13

      You mention that the joints of your structure are needed to support your building… if given more time would you have used more glue, string, or clay? The undetermined Idea: you mention that the construction of the building has been time consuming. How would your plan have changed knowing what you know now?

  16. Arianna Zielinski room 301
    Arianna Zielinski room 301February 12,13

    My science article for 2-13-13:

    Alcohol Abusers’ Depression Often Related to Drinking


    Experts have long known that heavy drinking can spur temporary episodes of depression — what’s known as “substance-induced depression.” However, this information is not always apparent to busy clinicians, and the new findings strengthen the evidence that the phenomenon exists as well as how common and clinically important it is.





    It’s important for doctors to consider alcohol use disorders as a possible cause of patients’ depression symptoms, Schuckit said — rather than simply “reaching for the prescription pad” and recommending an antidepressant
    If alcohol is the cause, “the depression is very likely to disappear with abstinence,” Schuckit said.

    Many people think that some individuals drink heavily because they are depressed, and that is the case for some. But Schuckit’s team actually found no evidence that people with a history of major depression were at increased risk for developing alcohol problems in the future.


    Arianna Zielinski
    Mr. Russell
    Science articles

    Alcohol Abusers’ Depression Often Related to Drinking

    Alcohol, it is a very powerful drug. It is liquefied bitterness that can only come from and lead to badness. The reason people use drugs, such as alcohol, is because they claim to be depressed or have some type of problem. They take these drugs because they think that the drugs make the hurt and the pain go away. However, the
    ‘Bliss” is only there for a short amount of time. They keeping taking these drugs to make the happiness stay longer, and before you know it, your abusing them and are an alcoholic, or drug addict. They try to deny it and blame it on their problems. But what if it that wasn’t the reason? What if alcoholism isn’t caused by problems or emotions, but lead to problems and emotions? Sounds like I’m stupid, right? Wrong. Recently, there has been a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs that explain some reasons for becoming an alcoholic.

    In the article, “Alcohol Abusers’ Depression Often Related to Drinking,” lead researcher Marc A. Schuckit, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has been working on an ongoing, 30 year long, experiment involving people who are alcoholics. The study started with about 400 men who, at the beginning of the study, were 18 years old. They study showed that there was an increased risk for alcoholism for those who fathers were alcoholics. Throughout the 30 years, 41 percent of the sons of alcoholic fathers developed abusiveness towards alcohol, or became dependent towards it. Because of it, almost 20 percent of the men suffered from at least one session of major depression.

    I have seen in movies and other television programs that show people who go to bars and get drunk, often become emotional. They usually do things they wouldn’t normally do if they were sober. They tell their deepest, darkest personal secrets, they start fights, or maybe even begin to break down and cry. This is the effects of alcohol. Most people do not realize this. They think it’s the problems that cause the alcoholism, when actually it is the other way around. I am shocked by this discovery. I think it’s horrible when people put junk in their body and they don’t think about the consequences. Let this be a lesson to those who are, and hopefully at age of drinking. It is ok to drink sometimes, but you should be aware of your about of intake and remember, “It’s all about moderation.”

  17. Miles Esters
    Miles EstersFebruary 12,13

    Science Article

    Miles Esters
    Science Articles

    Did Iran Really Launch A Monkey Into Space ?

    You really cant believe what a country says all the time. Iran officials say they launched a monkey into orbit in January 28, just 8 days ago. Skeptics out there do not believe the Iranians launched a monkey into space. Photos published by the state media before launch show a monkey with a dark with a different face and bigger nose distinctive mole above its right eye and the picture of the monkey but the monkey that returned from orbit was . Yariv Bash CEO of Space Israel said “ The original monkey died from a heart attack after the rocket landed or that the experiment did not go well.” Mohammed Ebrahimi senior Iranian space official said that a handful of monkeys were trained for this mission. The monkey that returned from orbit was in good health and didn’t have any physical effects according to Ebrahimi. Other experts say the that the monkey with the mole above its right eye was a picture from a failed 2011 failed test. Critics say the technologies that were used for this space flight could be used for ICBM carrying nuclear warheads.

    I really do no think the Iranians launched this monkey into space because I don’t think they have they technology to do so, but then you never know. Russia and China has been known to sell technologies to other countries for money. But if the Iranians really did launch this monkey into orbit good for them.

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