Home > Science Experiments > Polymers - Experiment 1 - Polymer Strength: What are the tensile properties of certain polymers that make them more durable than others?

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Experiment 1
Polymer Strength: What are the tensile properties of certain polymers that make them more durable than others?

Purpose/Hypothesis

Tensile strength is one key test that researchers conduct on polymers. A polymer's tensile strength depends on what molecules make up the polymer, as well as the orientation of the polymers. Polymers align themselves as long chains. These chains are aligned parallel to each other and tangle together in many synthetic polymers. When pulled lengthwise, these chains can stretch a great distance before breaking. However, widthwise it is only the entanglements that hold the polymers together. In this direction the polymer will break much more easily. Companies make many synthetic polymers by manufacturing the long chains of polymers parallel to each other along the length of the...

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1. Introduction
2. Chain properties
3. What kind is it?
4. Getting rid of polymers
5. Experiment 1 - Polymer Strength: What are the tensile properties of certain polymers that make them more durable than others?
6. Experiment 2 - Polymer Slime: How will adding more of a polymer change the properties of a polymer "slime"?
7. Design Your Own Experiment