Cordage and String
We take modern string and cord for granted. The use of cordage provides opportunities that would not otherwise be available for the provision of food, firelighting and connecting materials. In this session we will learn to form cordage with a 2 ply finger twist method. Having made a length there is the opportunity to test the strain it is able to support through either a static or dynamic load to impose a force until the cord breaks. We will collect the data and appraise the materials by comparing the force held with the thickness of the cordage.
Challenge
- Were you aware of the huge range of plants that produce natural fibres that have been used historically to produce cordage?
- Are you aware of the uses of string or cordage?
- Have you considered the role that cord played in the development of society through refined hunting techniques?
- Can you use natural fibres to produce your own length of cord using your hands?
- Is your cord capable of holding the greatest force?
- Can you design a way to assess your cord by breaking your cord and recording the force it held?
Value
This session draws on aspects of both Biology and Physics:
- We will examine plant anatomy in the identification of the fibres and where they are located in different plants,
- the reasons why these fibres have been evolved.
- The use of cordage will be put into a historical and practical context and its role in the development of human society.
The Physics of making a cord are also examined:
- from comparing the strength of twisted and untwisted fibres
- the examination of fibres from different plants.
- Sections of cordage made from different materials will be made and tested to destruction,
- the data produced will allow for a meaningful comparison of the properties of the materials.
This session will allow students investigate and refine their own techniques in twisting their own section of cord, developing a method to test the load it can support and evaluate their results.
