Why does rubber bands stretch

Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated..!!! In all things, entropy is usually the boss, meaning, when things are at their most basic broken down state, they tend to last longer. So when a rubber band is put in the refrigerator it makes the polymers even more relaxed, because of the way they behave in the cold. Yes, the thickness does affect the distance because rubber bands that are thick are harder to stretch then a thin rubber band.

This means that if I stretch the rubber band a distance of about 20 centimeters that's around the breaking point then there would be 1.

Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed. When an elastic material is stretched or compressed, it exerts elastic force. This force increases the more the material is stretched or compressed. Kinetic energy is energy in an object because of its motion. For example, a rubber band that is stretched has elastic potential energy, because when released , the rubber band will spring back toward its resting state, transferring the potential energy to kinetic energy in the process.

Rubber bands are made from organic rubber because it offers superior elasticity. Natural rubber comes from latex, a milky fluid composed primarily of water with a smaller amount of rubber and trace amounts of resin, protein, sugar, and mineral matter.

Why do the thin elastic bands stretch more? Category: style and fashion natural and organic beauty. Rubber bands can be related to some people in life because of braces. If the rubber band is thick the rubber band would be harder to stretch which would have a small distance, but if it was thin the it would be easier to stretch which would make it have a larger distance. Do rubber bands lose elasticity?

Do rubber bands melt in boiling water? Does temperature affect rubber band elasticity? Why does rubber become stiff on stretching? Is a rubber band elastic energy? How do you stretch out a rubber band? How do the data collected using these other mechanical systems compare with that collected using rubber bands?

Can you define an equation that expresses the relationship between potential and kinetic energy in this system? Observations and results Did the rubber bands stretched to 30 cm launch farther than the other rubber bands? Did you see a linear relationship between the launch distance and stretch length when you graphed your data? You input potential stored energy into the rubber band system when you stretched the rubber band back.

Because it is an elastic system, this kind of potential energy is specifically called elastic potential energy. When the rubber band is released, the potential energy is quickly converted to kinetic motion energy. This is equal to one half the mass of the rubber band multiplied by its velocity in meters per second squared.

Using these equations, you can calculate the velocity of the rubber band right when it is released, and find that the velocity has a linear relationship with the stretch length. Because the amount of time that the rubber band spends in the air is dependent on its initial height and force of gravity, and these factors should not change between your trials, then how far the rubber band flies depends on its initial velocity. Consequently, after you graph your data, you should see a roughly linear relationship between the stretch length and the launch distance.

More to explore What Is Energy? Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue.

See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Key concepts Physics Mathematics Energy Projectiles Introduction If you've ever been shot with a rubber band then you know it has energy in it—enough energy to smack you in the arm and cause a sting!

Build a Cooler. Get smart. Most rubber objects are made of some kind of cross-linked rubber. Cross-linking is a way of chemically joining all the polymer chains of a piece of rubber into one giant molecule.

In a piece of cross-linked rubber, the cross-links shown in red tie the polymer chains into one specific shape. This means the rubber will hold its shape better. Without cross-links, the rubber might deform after being stretched over and over again. Typically the softer the silicone the more it stretches, 20 shore will stretch a lot more than an 80 shore grade.

In addition, Silicone Engineering has specially designed specific silicone grades that can outperform a regular silicone, grades such as our high tear or platinum cured silicone have a much-improved elongation than a general purpose silicone. Got another question about silicone or want to find out more? Speak to one of our silicone experts by clicking here or view our products. Site built by Vertical Leap.

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