Strength Test Force and Motion Experiment
Test the strength of a string using a heavy book
What You Will Need
- 24-inch-long piece of string
- Heavy book
Instructions
1. Lay the string out on a table.
2. Centre the heavy book on the string.
3. Tie the string around the book without making a knot.
4. Take one end of the string and lift the book.
5. Now pull on either end of the string and try to hold it in a straight line.
6. No matter how strong you are, you will not be able to pull the string straight
What’s Happening?
You may actually notice that the further you pull the string ends apart, the heavier the books seems to weigh. The greater the angle between the two halves of the string, the greater the force you will need to hold the book up. If the string was in a straight line, this would be a 180-degree angle and would require great force and strength to hold the book up. So much force would be needed that the string would probably actually break before being able to make a straight line.
