Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Posted on behalf of student
Project: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... #materials

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Please help.
The samples do not seem to break.
Can I use something else rather than the clamps?
Maybe it’s the spring scale?
The sample use without glycerin just broken when using the clamp , but the others did not break at all.

Hello,
Making biofabrics is a really fun project! Make sure to pull the spring scale very slowly; otherwise, the force might not be evenly applied, which could prevent the sample from breaking. Another possibility is that the sample is too thick. It should only be around 1mm in thickness. To achieve this, make sure to place a weight (like books) on top of the biofabric drying rack to prevent it from curling up.

If the spring scale still isn't breaking the sample, it might not be applying enough force. In that case, you could try option B from the project instructions: attach one of the clamps to a string connected to a bucket and slowly add weight. For alternatives to the clamps, you could try using a vice to make sure the sample is secure.