Science Projects And Inventions

YOU NEED:

• A table
• Three sheets of newspaper
• A pencil

1.            On the side of a table spread the three sheets of newspaper. Place a new pencil halfway under the paper. Allow the other half of the pencil to project over the edge of the table as shown in the illustration. Either strike the end of the pencil with a quick blow of your hand, or hit it with a hammer. You will be surprised to see that the newspaper will not tear, but the pencil will break in half.

Similarly, one can break a ruler or a thin wooden board.

2.            Fold new ten rupee note lengthwise. The crease should be sharp. You can tell your friends that it will act like the edge of a knife, and chop a pencil in half. Tell someone to hold the pencil horizontally by grasping the two ends- Hit the pencil once or twice with the folded edge of the rupee note.

Nothing will happen. On the next attempt the pencil will break neatly in half.

THE SECRET

There is a bit of slyness involved in this one. Secretly extend your forefinger alongside the rupee note and hit the pencil. The momentum of the finger will actually break the pencil in two.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

 Actually inertia and air pressure keep the newspaper in tact. While the inertia of the finger breaks the pencil even  as someone holds it.