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hands-on activities
Will a tin can support your weight?
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Field(s) of Science: Physics
Approximate time needed:
< 10 minutes
Concepts:
force, structure
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Age:
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Setting(s)
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Adult supervision is required.
Materials Needed:
- Tin soda can
- Chair
- 2 people
- Fishing line or thread
Doing The Activity!
- Have someone balance with one foot on a tin can, while supporting some of their body weight with a chair.
- Wrap the fishing line around the can, about half-way up. Pull on the string.
- Watch out!
Investigate More!
- Try the same experiment with a soup can or coffee can - does it collapse when the force is applied?
Discuss
What's Happening?
When the volunteer is standing with one foot resting on the can, while
supporting themselves with a chair, the force pushing down on the can
is evenly distributed and pushes straight down towards the floor. The
can is cylinder shaped and cylinders are one of the strongest
structures that exist. Pulling the string pushes the can inwards and
the force becomes unbalanced - it is no longer pushing straight down.
The can collapses and the weight from the volunteer crushes it.
Why Does It Matter?
Gallery
Downloads
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