Rubber Bands

Did you know you could have a lot of fun with a rubber band? If not, read on.

Can you build a catapult using a rubber band? Check out suggestions for a rubber band catapult and see. There is a simple design for constructing a catapult with some suggesting for testing it. See what you can learn from a rubber band catapult.

What about employing a rubber band to compare relative levels of ozone in various locations? This activity uses the high oxidation capacity of ozone, which can cause a rubber band to break down in a short period of time, to estimate the ozone level at the particular site. The experiment consists of placing a rubber band around a jar and putting them in different spots. The rubber band is observed over a period of time for changes, such as cracking or pitting. Then conclusions are drawn regarding the level of ozone in each area.

Sound and a rubber band? Is there a connection here? Yes! Check out Amplifying Sound and make a rubber band-can or harpsichord. Also, look at NASA’s site sound box.

Rubber bands can be used to make a tabletop earthquake generator . What do you want with an earthquake generator, you ask? Well, how about constructing different kinds of buildings then using your earthquake generator to determine which one will best survive a quake?

How about using rubber bands to illustrate Newton's Second Law of Motion ? Newton's Car provides directions for the construction of a slingshot that propels a wooden block resting on top of a car forward thus causing the car to roll backwards. See how increasing the number of rubber bands and the weight of the car affects how far the car travels.

Make your own toys using rubber bands? Sure! The Mechanical Toy Page has several toys that one can make using rubber bands. Check out "Cotton-spool tank", "Mouse trap car" and "rubber band gun".

Can a rubber band help one to understand Edwin Hubble's discovery that all galaxies in the universe are moving away from us and the further away the galaxy is, the faster it is moving? Hubble Constant: The Effect of Distant on Speed is an interesting web site. Check it out and see what you think.

What happens to a rubber band when you heat it?

Have you noticed that if you stretch a rubber band, it does not return to its original shape afterwards? This property of a band is called hysteresis. It can be used to calculate the amount of energy lost by the rubber band.

Mars needs rubber*. Are you up to the task?

This is just a sampling of some of the fun you can have with a rubber band. I am sure you can find more.

*requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download.