Mon Prof Augmenté
Spider silk and steel cables
A spider silk cable and a steel cable have the same thickness. The spider silk cable holds a full-size coach bus while stretching slightly, and the steel cable holds a much smaller delivery van.
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Age 12: open this week
Browse Age 12
In the picture
- Pale spider silk cable, stretched slightly under the coach bus
- Grey steel cable of the same thickness, holding the delivery van
- Full-size coach bus hanging from the silk cable
- Small delivery van hanging from the steel cable
- Overhead beam where both cables are attached
Examples
- A spider web catches an insect without snapping.
- A seatbelt stretches a little to cushion a sudden stop.
Key takeaways
- For the same thickness, spider silk can hold more weight than steel.
- Spider silk also stretches, which helps it absorb force before breaking.
Carry on in the app
Three questions on this lesson. It has left the free week, so its quiz is for subscribers.
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