Stretching Rubber Bands
The Purpose of this project was to determine if a rubber band is more elastic when chilled or heated.
Purpose
If you heat up a rubber band, then it would stretch farther than at room temperature and if you were to cool it, then it would stretch less when subjected to the same weight.
Hypothesis
Materials
Procedure
Data Table:
Rubber Band Stretch Length (mm) | ||||
Temperature (F°) | | Rubber Band 1 | Rubber Band 2 | Rubber Band 3 |
30 | 78 | 74 | 74 | |
70 | 76 | 73 | 73 | |
180 | 74 | 70 | 70 | |
Pictures
Based on the data displayed in the graph, the hypothesis was not supported because the rubber bands stretched further in the cold water than the ambient or hot water. All three rubber bands stretched furthest in the 30 F° cold water compared to the other temperatures. All three rubber bands stretched the least in the 180 F° Hot water. Lastly the three rubber bands of similar shape, size , and color all reacted the same when subjected to the different temperatures in the experiment.
Conclusion
Most materials contract when cold and expand when heated but rubber on the other hand is a unique polymer. Polymers actually expand when chilled and contract when heated. Polymers are made of long chains of monomers. When a long chain is cooled the monomer chain relaxes and allows it to stretch. When the monomer chain is heated the chain vibrates and make it contract, or stretch less. Polymers are used in almost all things manufactured, not just tires! Most consumer goods, building materials, and automotive parts, all use polymers in their construction to allow flexibility, strength, and durability.
Real World Connection