Third quarter physics students watched as their bridges underwent strength testing.  This was the exciting, and sometimes dramatic, culmination of the annual bridge building project.  It began when each student or pair of students was issued 15 sticks of basswood, a tube of glue, some instructions on basic bridge design, and design parameters.  They were then allowed four weeks to design and construct a bridge.  Designers had to analyze how the forces would be distributed throughout their bridges in order to make them strong.