Australia's Science Forum

Hi All,

Our year 10 classes are doing a student research project for a school certificate assessment task. The general theme is Strength. I am after a list of ideas to have on hand for experiments testing strength. They do get marks for originality.
any help gratefully received.

Lorrae

Hi
A test we use as a prac for Year 6 day in science is testing of toilet paper.

A few sheets of school paper and another brand. Test strength by adding weights to mass carrier attached to the paper. Has been used for assessment tasks also.

Rita

Hi Rae,
In past SRA's we've done strength testing on food wraps, paper towel, toilet paper. You could try different material, al foil. Cotton vs acrylic thread, different wool, string, twine.
Hope this helps.
Rehards, Ellice.

Different thickness of fishing lines is good too.
lada

different brands and/or widths of sticky tape

I know there is a mythbusters episode on a jail break senario. they test twisted toilet paper human hair and bed sheets for their ability to hold someone climbing down a wall. While I don't reccomend letting students repell down walls on ropes made of toiletpaper, sheets and hair ( as much as I like to see it ) maybe this type of thing could be modified?

Setting up a Prac. Exam for Yr.10 tomorrow first period, 54 sets, 3 x types of tape same width
(tape with a cotton thread, masking & sticky) rulers, scissors and rubberbands. The kids do the prac in pairs then write up individually, table & graphs etc., Works well, the whole year can do at once and not a problem with equipment.

Macca, have done it that way for several years, but was pleased when it was changed last year. Found it expensive to buy all the tapes, and time consuming having to cut it all to length for the classes beforehand (ugh!), and I'm still pulling bits off the outside edges of tote trays!!