Mellaney Crane, age 10, of Baltimore, Md., for her question:

DOES THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SWAY?

The Empire State Building in New York City is one of the tallest structures in the world and it is definitely one of the most famous. It is 102 stories high and measures 12,50 feet from top to sidewalk. When very strong winds blow, the building sways.

The building opened on May 1, 1931, and was the world's tallest building until 1972. Now only the Sears Tower in Chicago and the World Trade Center in New York City are taller.

Each year, more than 12.5 million persons visit the building's two observation areas on the 86th and 102nd floors.

The building's steel structure creeks slightly when heavy winds cause it to move from side to side. With a 100 mile per hour wind blowing, the top of the building is known to sway only 1.45 inches from its center. That isn't very much movement.