Current Events > What's so special about the keystone? You know, of an arch?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Every preschooler book that mentions arches points out that the keystone is the most important part because it holds all the other stones in place.

But I see no reason you would be able to remove any other stone without the whole thing collapsing either.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

it holds all the other stones in place.

That's the reason.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

But I see no reason you would be able to remove any other stone without the whole thing collapsing either.

The act of being load-bearing has nothing to do with why a keystone is important. It's like asking why skin is important when if you lost your leg you'd still bleed to death.

ellis123 posted...

The act of being load-bearing has nothing to do with why a keystone is important. It's like asking why skin is important when if you lost your leg you'd still bleed to death.

Sounds like, as I suspected, none of them are more important than the others.

doesn't the keystone complete the arch? therefore there is no arch without that final piece? after that, yes, any piece will topple it, but that doesn't really seem like the point

It's the stone that locks the others in place.

The arch can't bear weight until the keystone is in place

Proud member of the KEYSTONE STATE. Even though it's officially a commonwealth.

Not really, being proud of your state is dumb

WrkHrdPlayHrdr posted...

Proud member of the KEYSTONE STATE. Even though it's officially a commonwealth.

Not really, being proud of your state is dumb

Yeah, made me think of my state too. Who else talks about keystones besides us PA weirdos?

ai123 posted...

It's the stone that locks the others in place.

UnholyMudcrab posted...

The arch can't bear weight until the keystone is in place

To which stone on the arch does this not apply?

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

To which stone on the arch does this not apply?

The ones that are not put in last.

They keystone is the last stone to be placed, and locks the others.

ai123 posted...

The ones that are not put in last.

They keystone is the last stone to be placed, and locks the others.

Seems like being put in last is a pretty meaningless distinction to me, but if that's really all it is, ok I guess.

what do you have to gain by playing dumb about how arches are made

viewmaster_pi posted...

what do you have to gain by playing dumb about how arches are made

Nothing. Which is how you know I'm genuinely questioning "common knowledge" that hasn't been adequately qualified.

what are you struggling to understand? there's a bunch of blocks at the science center here for kids to play with, you can build two curved halves that fall over on their own. however, if there's that last piece, the key piece, it holds the two halves together, thus creating an arch.

This has to be a troll topic

viewmaster_pi posted...

what are you struggling to understand? there's a bunch of blocks at the science center here for kids to play with, you can build two curved halves that fall over on their own. however, if there's that last piece, the key piece, it holds the two halves together, thus creating an arch.

The part where this evidently doesn't apply to a 3/4 arch and a 1/4 arch.

It bears the weight at ambient points

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

Seems like being put in last is a pretty meaningless distinction to me, but if that's really all it is, ok I guess.

Why is it a 'meaningless' distinction?

If you don't put the keystone in last, the arch will collapse.