eli5: why do arches only absorb compression but not tension?

Question

In my early civil engineering studies, I learned that ropes can only absorb tension but not compression because they are basically an infinite chain of hinges.
I can’t quite remember anymore how arches work, all I know is they behave in the opposite of ropes.

In: 21

Answer 1

if you hang a chain between two points you get an arch in tension, if you make the same shape upside down you get an arch in compresssion