measuring forces

[gregunit123]

I am doing a project in which i will test many types of paper and see which one is the strongest. I will only be able to do this, if i can find a precise way to measure forces. i have resarched spring scales, but i can not figure out how to attach them to a piece of paper or where to find one. thank you.

[gregunit123]

I am doing a project in which i will test many types of paper and see which one is the strongest. I will only be able to do this, if i can find a precise way to measure forces. i have resarched spring scales, but i can not figure out how to attach them to a piece of paper or where to find one. thank you.

p.s. if you need to know, i'm in 9th grade taking Geometry & trigonometry and have completed algebra 2. also i was wondering if college universitys like western connecticut state university might have mentors with tools to measure force in the way i need to. thanks again.

[deleted-71588]

Materials testing usually involves building some test fixture to hold the object in order to apply the appropriate force(s). If you are trying to measure how much tension force it takes before the paper breaks, building two clamps that spreads the attachment force along a opposit edges of the paper and attaching a spring scale or weights to one clamp and suspending the paper from another might work.

If you are trying to measure shear force, then you will need to have a way to cause rotational force or torque to twist the paper until it tears.

If either tear is along the edge of the clamp, then it is back to modifying the clamp so as to not modify the paper fiber behavior and create a weak spot.

If you are trying to measure the force to pierce a piece of paper, you will need to build something like a frame to hold all edges of the paper and some probe with some known surface area built on a plunger that you can put weight on until the paper ruptures.

If you have another force you are interested in, post back and somebody will probably recommend a measurement technique.

[gregunit123]

Materials testing usually involves building some test fixture to hold the object in order to apply the appropriate force(s). If you are trying to measure how much tension force it takes before the paper breaks, building two clamps that spreads the attachment force along a opposit edges of the paper and attaching a spring scale or weights to one clamp and suspending the paper from another might work.

If you are trying to measure shear force, then you will need to have a way to cause rotational force or torque to twist the paper until it tears.

If either tear is along the edge of the clamp, then it is back to modifying the clamp so as to not modify the paper fiber behavior and create a weak spot.

If you are trying to measure the force to pierce a piece of paper, you will need to build something like a frame to hold all edges of the paper and some probe with some known surface area built on a plunger that you can put weight on until the paper ruptures.

If you have another force you are interested in, post back and somebody will probably recommend a measurement technique.

thanks. im probably going to use the clamps and the weights.