Why does the tinsel need to be tied? Is it just a decorative thing, or does it have a purpose?

Name: Do the experiment
Uploaded: 2015-12-16T22:14:59Z
Description: Take charge—literally!—of this experiment with just a few simple materials.

Great Question. If you try the experiment WITHOUT tying the tinsel and compare your results WITH tying the tinsel, I'll bet that you can gain some observational insight that may help you answer your own question. My gut intuition is that it is NOT for decoration, but tying the tinsel gives it a more stable shape to float in the air, rather than simply being a linear string-like piece that will have difficulty staying aloft. Good luck. I'm looking forward to trying the experiment both ways to find out for myself.

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Course: Exploratorium > Unit 4

Lesson 2: Flying Tinsel

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♡ Lonely Umbreon ♡
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to ♡ Lonely Umbreon ♡'s post “Why does the tinsel need ...”
Why does the tinsel need to be tied? Is it just a decorative thing, or does it have a purpose?
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(2 votes)
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- Wudaifu
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Wudaifu's post “Great Question. If you t...”
  Great Question. If you try the experiment WITHOUT tying the tinsel and compare your results WITH tying the tinsel, I'll bet that you can gain some observational insight that may help you answer your own question. My gut intuition is that it is NOT for decoration, but tying the tinsel gives it a more stable shape to float in the air, rather than simply being a linear string-like piece that will have difficulty staying aloft. Good luck. I'm looking forward to trying the experiment both ways to find out for myself.
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  (6 votes)
♡ Lonely Umbreon ♡
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to ♡ Lonely Umbreon ♡'s post “Styrofoam is made of plas...”
Styrofoam is made of plastic, so why would a plastic cup not work for the handle?
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(2 votes)
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Janice
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Janice's post “What happens if you touch...”
What happens if you touch with a part of you body?
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(3 votes)
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Dorothy
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Dorothy's post “Can you use aluminum foil...”
Can you use aluminum foil instead of tinsel?
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(1 vote)
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Bob the builder
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Bob the builder's post “why don't you make someth...”
why don't you make something else fly?
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(1 vote)
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Exploratorium

Course: Exploratorium > Unit 4

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