Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi!
Please help me. I am currently doing my science fair project in the 8th grade. For my project, I have to test the elasticity of trash bags to determine which trash bag is the strongest. I also have to type a reasearch paper on it. Which is were i am stuck. I have absolutely no idea how i should do my research since for testing the elasticity of the trash bags i am going to be dropping things from about 10 ft above the trash bag to see which of the bags holds up the best and i need help trying to figure out where to do my research since i have to have 5 different sources. which have to include at least 1 book source and 1 internet source. Can you help me?

The term 'elasticity' is a good place to start; try looking it up on your favorite search engine. You might also consider looking up old issues of Consumer reports to see if they have any studies on trash bags, or perhaps search the US patent database for information on garbage bag patents (I don't know if there would actually be anything, but it might be worth looking). For the book, I would suggest a physics textbook that has a discussion of potential vs. kinetic energy and elasticity.

Hope this helps!

A suggestion is to enter "Which Garbage Bag is the strongest?" to ask.com

Among the responses are a science project:
http://www.selah.k12.wa.us/SOAR/SciProj ... rmenL.html
and related science projects:
http://webpages.charter.net/kitmcc/SFideas.htm

There are lots of references to specific brands of garbage bags (both as sponsored = paid advertisement, and unsponsored links) that you might want to include in your testing.

From a testing engineer's perspective, the definition of what you consider a "failure" is critical to the results. For example, if any puncture that allows liquid to leak is a failure, then bags with mesh reinforcing would not test stronger than the equivalent thickness plastic bag of the same material if there were sharp objects involved.

How you define "strength" and in terms of the "failure" conditions can change which is stronger by your definition.

If you look at some of the TV commercials and see somebody dragging a bag out to the curb, there is a demonstration of another "strength" component, the ability to resist abrasion.

Thanks for all the info! but, do you know where i can get any of that information that isnt written at a college level? many of the places i have looked are to advanced. Can you help?

spazzyjazzy96 wrote:..., do you know where i can get any of that information that isnt written at a college level?

Since most current Science and Engineering research is done at the college level, most of the materials you will find are at that level. There are materials online that are aimed at explaining the concepts in terms that people outside of the engineering and scientific disciplines can more easily understand.

As strange as this is going to sound, try understanding a college level research paper using a good modern collegiate dictionary as a starting point or even better use a dictionary from 1880 to 1910 to find the mechanical or scientific property terms defined. All of the terms for the mechanical properties involved existed long before 1880 and there were fewer "modern" words so more space was spent on better definitions and more usage was given. You may have to look up a lot of words, but in the process you will acquire a bigger vocabulary which is great in and of itself.

If you have a particular term you can't find something that explains it in terms that you can understand, we can probably find a source online for you or we can take a stab at explaining it should we fail to find a suitable reference.

Let us know what you found that you can't understand and what about it you don't understand and that will help us know more specifically what you are looking for at your grade level.