Student Activity Packet

Activity #2: The Nylon Rope Trick

NOTE: This website contains activities that are intended for schoolchildren, grades 5 and up, under the supervision of adults. The Smithsonian Institution cannot be responsible for any accidents or injuries that may result from conducting the activity without proper supervision, from not following specific directions, or from ignoring the cautions contained in the text.

Description

This activity is a fairly simple, but wonderfully dramatic, chemistry demonstration. In this demonstration, you pour an oil solution into a glass containing another liquid. The oil and water don't mix but perch on top of each other. At the juncture is a third material (nylon) which you can extract from the jar in a long strand.

Background Information

Chemical reactions produce synthetic fibers. Nylon is simple to make, once you know how. One of the liquids used to make nylon is a petrochemical, an oil product, just as is gasoline. The two liquids used in this demonstration are basically oil and water, which don't mix, but at the point where they meet a solid (nylon) is produced.

Plastic bags, styrofoam cups, and other plastics are like nylon in their chemical composition. These polymers are formed when the molecules which make up all matter join together to make a long chain rather than existing separately as monomers. You could think of this reaction as a group of individuals (monomers) clasping hands in a line (a polymer).

What To Do

After watching the demonstration (The Nylon Rope Trick), think about the following questions:

1. What changes come about when a society switches from using natural fibers to synthetic ones? Think about economic, social, cultural, and technological changes. How does such a shift affect your life?

2. What would be the benefits and what would be the problems with using synthetic fibers rather than natural fibers like wool and cotton?

3. Why does it matter where and how nylon is produced? How will such knowledge change your behavior or thinking?