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Rubber Band Elasticity and Temperature

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Abstract

Many materials expand when heated and contract when cooled. What do you think will happen to the elasticity (stretchiness) of a rubber band when it is heated or cooled to various temperatures?

Summary

Areas of Science
Difficulty
 
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This project requires some specialty items. They can all be purchased online, or you may be able to borrow them from school. See the Materials list for details.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is required for heating and pouring boiling water.
Credits

Andrew Olson, PhD, Science Buddies

Justin Spahn, Science Buddies

Sandra Slutz, PhD, Science Buddies

Sources

The idea for this project is by Vince Calder, from his answer on the Newton Ask A Scientist bulletin board:

  • Mellendorf, K., et al. (2002). Hooke's Law and Rubber Bands Newton Ask A Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory. Retrieved March 25, 2015.

Objective

The goal of this project is to investigate how the restoring force of a rubber band varies with temperature.

Introduction

All matter is made up of atoms, like carbon, or hydrogen, or oxygen. Atoms are linked together to form larger compounds called molecules. Some molecules are made by stringing together repeated subunits. Such molecules are called polymers. In some polymers, including many synthetic polymers in textiles and plastics, the subunits are identical. In other polymers, such as proteins manufactured inside cells, the subunits have a common 'backbone' structure, to which different chemical groups are attached.

Rubber is an example of a natural polymer. The chains of molecules in rubber have a natural elasticity: they can stretch when pulled. When the pulling force is removed, the elastic polymers in rubber spring back to their original length. A polymer with elastic properties like this is sometimes called an elastomer. The molecular chains of an elastomer basically act like springs.

Solid materials generally expand when heated and contract when cooled. How will temperature affect the elasticity of rubber bands? You can find out for yourself with this experiment.

Terms and Concepts

To do this project, you should do research that enables you to understand the following terms and concepts:

Questions

Bibliography

  • Explore this website to find out much more about polymers:
    PSLC. (2007). The Kids' Macrogalleria. Polymer Science Learning Center, Department of Polymer Science, University of Southern Mississippi. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  • Here you can learn about the chemical structure of rubber, a natural polymer:
    Polymer Science Learning Center. (n.d.). Rubber. Department of Polymer Science, University of Southern Mississippi. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  • The idea for this project is by Vince Calder, from his answer on the Newton Ask A Scientist bulletin board:
    Mellendorf, K., et al. (2002). Hooke's Law and Rubber Bands. Newton Ask A Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory. Retrieved March 25, 2015.

For help creating graphs, try this website:

  • National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Create a Graph. Retrieved November 12, 2008.

Materials and Equipment

Disclaimer: Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with Home Science Tools, Amazon.com, Carolina Biological, and Jameco Electronics. Proceeds from the affiliate programs help support Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Our top priority is student learning. If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Write to us at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org.

Experimental Procedure

  1. Do your background research so that you are knowledgeable about the terms, concepts, and questions, above.
  2. Heat a pot of water to boiling on the stovetop. With the help of an adult, carefully pour the boiling water into the graduated cylinder.
  3. Using the scissors, cut one rubber band so that it is a straight ribbon rather than a circle.
  4. Tie one end of the rubber band to the middle of the skewer, and the other end to the hook (or knob) on the steel weight.
  5. Gently, being careful not to burn yourself on the hot water or steam, lower the weight and rubber band into the graduated cylinder. Rest the skewer across the opening of the graduated cylinder to prevent the whole thing from falling inside. Use putty or play dough to secure the skewer to the edges of the graduated cylinder. Figure 1 shows a diagram of the experimental setup.
    Diagram of a weight suspended from a rubber band attached to a skewer in a beaker of water

    Figure 1. This diagram shows how to immerse the rubber band in water, by dangling it from a skewer. The other end of the rubber band is securely tied to a weight and a ruler is used to measure the rubber band stretch length between the skewer and the weight.

  6. Measure the water temperature with a thermometer. With the ruler, measure the rubber band stretch length between the skewer and the weight. Record both of these measurements in a data table in your lab notebook.
    1. Tip: If you find it difficult to use the ruler to measure the rubber band stretch length, then use the ruler to measure how many millimeters apart the tick marks are on the graduated cylinder. Now count tick marks between the bamboo skewer and the weight and convert that back into millimeters.
  7. Continue to measure the water temperature and stretch length every three to five minutes until the water temperature stabilizes around room temperature.
  8. Once the temperature has stabilized, pour out approximately 25mL of water from the graduated cylinder. Add 25mL of ice water to replace it. Mix the water in the graduated cylinder thoroughly with the handle of a wooden spoon or other long implement. Measure the water temperature and rubber band stretch length. Record the measurements in your lab notebook.
  9. Repeat step 8 until the final water temperature is approximately the same as your ice water.
  10. Repeat steps 2-9 twice more. Use a new rubber band each time. Make sure the starting length of your rubber bands (once they are tied to the bamboo and weight) is approximately the same each time.
    1. Repeating the experiment a total of three times will help you determine if your findings are consistent and reliable.
  11. Make a line graph of the rubber band stretch length (y-axis) vs. the water temperature (x-axis).
    1. In the end you should have one graph with three lines, each representing a different trial with a different rubber band.
    2. You can make your graph by hand, or use computer software, like Create A Graph.
  12. What happened to the rubber band stretch length as the temperature decreased? Is this what you expected to see based on your background reading? Did all three of your experimental trials behave similarly? What do you think would happen to the rubber band stretch if you started with ice water and kept increasing the water temperature? Repeat the experiment, this time figuring out a way to start with ice water and end with near-boiling water.
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Ask an Expert

Do you have specific questions about your science project? Our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.

Global Connections

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Variations

  • Do rubber bands behave like springs? Use the Procedure described in the following Science Buddies project with rubber bands in place of springs in order to find out: Applying Hooke's Law: Make Your Own Spring Scale.
  • Do you think that the force required to break a rubber band will change with temperature? Use a spring scale to measure the maximum force that a rubber band can withstand before breaking. Perform multiple trials with rubber bands at different initial temperatures.

Careers

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

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Mechanical engineers are part of your everyday life, designing the spoon you used to eat your breakfast, your breakfast's packaging, the flip-top cap on your toothpaste tube, the zipper on your jacket, the car, bike, or bus you took to school, the chair you sat in, the door handle you grasped and the hinges it opened on, and the ballpoint pen you used to take your test. Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Consequently, their… Read more
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You use mechanical devices every day—to zip and snap your clothing, open doors, refrigerate and cook your food, get clean water, heat your home, play music, surf the Internet, travel around, and even to brush your teeth. Virtually every object that you see around has been mechanically engineered or designed at some point, requiring the skills of mechanical engineering technicians to create drawings of the product, or to build and test models of the product to find the best design. Read more

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General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.

MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "Rubber Band Elasticity and Temperature." Science Buddies, 20 Nov. 2020, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/ApMech_p026/mechanical-engineering/rubber-band-elasticity-and-temperature?from=Home. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2020, November 20). Rubber Band Elasticity and Temperature. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/ApMech_p026/mechanical-engineering/rubber-band-elasticity-and-temperature?from=Home


Last edit date: 2020-11-20
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