Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Why does a news paper tears smoothly up and down but not side to side?

  Why does a news paper tears smoothly up and down but not side to side?

This experiment anyone can try at home. No parental guidance is required !
Newspaper is made of tiny wood fibers. This gives the sheet of news paper , a grain.
When we tear the newspaper from top to bottom, it tears evenly because we are tearing in the direction of grain.
But when we tear it from side to side , it tears unevenly because tearing is against the direction of grain.