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Home » Primary Science » Key Stage 1 Science » How strong is paper? Taken from Cracking Chemistry

How strong is paper? Taken from Cracking Chemistry

Modified: Oct 14, 2024 · Published: Oct 31, 2011 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

Today’s experiment is taken from a rather brilliant book from QED Publishing. Cracking Chemistry is part of the ‘Science Crackers’ range. It is beautifully laid out with striking photos and pictures to really catch a child’s attention and interest. My 4-year-old was fascinated. The book explains all about the world of atoms and materials. Each topic is explained in terms easy for a child to understand and demonstrated with examples they can relate to.

There are also lots of hands-on activities such as this one.

How strong is paper?

What you need:

a book

about 16 sheets of paper (A4 good )

Sticky Tape

Instructions

  • Try to stand the sheets of paper on their ends. Even that is impossible. They cannot hold themselves up let alone a book.
  • Roll up each piece of paper into a tube about 3cm across and tape the ends together.
  • Tape each set of 4 tubes into a bundle, making 4 bundles.
  • Place the bundles in a square, and place the book carefully on top.

 
We also added a space shuttle to the top of ours to add a bit of extra weight.

Z was very surprised by how strong the paper tubes were, we added lots of things to the top of the book to try to make the tubes collapse. It was only when Z himself stood on the book that the tubes gave in! I wouldn’t recommend trying that though.

Why does this work?

When the sheet of paper is flat, it is floppy and weak in all directions. If it is rolled into a tube, it becomes stiffer in one direction, end to end. We think of some materials as being strong and some weak, but the shape of the material can be just as important as the material itself in terms of strength.

Think about where tubes are used for strength. How about scaffolding?

 QED sent us this book free of charge to review, all words and opinions are my own

Last Updated on October 14, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

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Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. maggy, red ted art

    November 02, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Oooh the books looks fabulous! And what a great experiment. Always fascinating seeing “weak things being strong”…

    Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!!

    Maggy

    Reply
  2. Brooke @Let Kids Create

    November 05, 2011 at 5:12 am

    What a fun experiment. You can also use that as an object lesson for teamwork 😉 Thanks for sharing on Monday Madness!

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      November 07, 2011 at 1:49 pm

      I’m so glad you liked it, and yes it would be great for teamwork! xx

      Reply
  3. Art For Little Hands (@art4littlehands)

    November 06, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    What a fun thing to try out. I think my older kids would get a kick out of this!

    Thanks for sharing at Monday Madness. Hope to see you back again tomorrow.

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      November 07, 2011 at 1:44 pm

      Thanks! If you do try it, let us know how you get on. xx

      Reply

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