GUISADIO, Kristiana Marie C. PHY011.

2 Biophysics

Laboratory Activity No. 2 (Elasticity)

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In this activity, we demonstrated the elasticity of biological and artificial materials, and
we quantified the changes in length with various forces. We also determine how temperature
and water affect length changes. We compared the elasticity of a hair strand, rubber, and
silk thread. The activity was fun and exciting because we were amazed by the elasticity of
the hair strand. However, just like the previous exercise, we do not have a laboratory room
for the activity. We just stayed in the lecture room, which is somehow manageable and
conducive to conducting this particular activity.

The laboratory activity taught me a lot about elasticity. Hair and silk are biological
materials that show elasticity. Hair is a long polymer made of a protein called keratin which is
also called an intermediate filament protein. Silkworms make silk from a protein known as
fibroin. Hair and silk have high tensile strength and can be pulled on with increased force
before breaking. The elasticity of hair differs by individual, while the elasticity of silk thread
differs with how silk is produced into thread. Rubber bands are artificial, although most
rubber bands are made from a milky fluid produced by rubber trees. Rubber bands and other
things made from rubber have a very high elasticity, which is evident in this activity. In
addition, external situations can change the elasticity of materials. For instance, wet hair
shows higher elasticity than dry hair, Young’s modulus is lower for damp hair than dry hair.
Young's Modulus is the measure of elasticity, equal to the ratio of the stress acting on a
substance to the strain produced. Rubber is unusual because it becomes more elastic at
cold temperatures than at warmer ones. This is reflected in a lower Young’s modulus at cold
temperatures.