Tuesday, March 17, 2020

The Inventor of Duct Tape

The Inventor of Duct Tape During the second world war, U.S. troops in the heat of battle had a strangely impractical way of reloading their weapons. Cartridges used for grenade launchers was one example. Boxed, sealed with wax and taped over to protect them moisture, soldiers would need to pull on a tab to peel off the paper tape and break the seal. Sure, it worked... except when it didnt, soldiers were left scrambling to pry the boxes open. The Story of Vesta Stoudt Vesta Stoudt had been working at factory packing and inspecting these cartridges when she got to thinking that there had to be a better way. She also happened to be a mother of two sons serving in the Navy and was particularly perturbed that their lives and countless others were left to such chance. Concerned for the welfare of sons, she discussed with her supervisors an idea she had to fabricate a tape made from strong, water-resistant cloth. And when nothing came of her efforts, she penned a letter to then-President Franklin Roosevelt detailing her proposal (which included a hand-sketched diagram) and closing by making a plea to his conscience: We cant let them down by giving them a box of cartridges that takes a minute or two to open, enabling the enemy to take lives that might be saved had the box been taped with strong tape that can be opened in a split second. Please, Mr. President, do something about this at once; not tomorrow or soon, but now. Oddly enough, Roosevelt passed Stoudts recommendation on to military officials, and in two weeks time, she received notice that her suggestion is being considered and not too long after was informed that her proposal had been approved. The letter also commended her idea was of exceptional merit. Before long, Johnson Johnson, which specialized in medical supplies, was assigned and developed a sturdy cloth tape with a strong adhesive that would come to be known as â€Å"duck tape,† which garnered the company an Army-Navy E Award, an honor given out as a distinction of excellence in the production of war equipment. While Johnson Johnson was officially credited with the invention of duct tape, it’s a concerned mother who will be remembered as the mother of duct tape.  Ã‚   How Duct Tape Works The initial iteration that Johnson Johnson came up with isn’t much different from the version on the market today. Comprised of a piece of mesh cloth, which gives it tensile strength and rigidity to be torn by hand and waterproof polyethylene (plastic), duct tape is made by feeding the materials into a mixture that forms the rubber-based adhesive. Unlike glue, which forms a bond once the substance hardens, duct tape is a pressure-sensitive adhesive that relies on the degree in which pressure is applied. The stronger the pressure, the stronger the bond, particularly with surfaces that are clean, smooth and hard. Who uses duct tape? Duct tape was a huge hit with soldiers due to its strength, versatility and waterproof properties. Used to make all sorts of repairs from boots to furniture, it’s also a popular fixture in the world of motorsports, where crews use strips to patch up dents. Film crews working on-set have a version called gaffer’s tape, which doesn’t leave a sticky residue. Even NASA Astronauts pack a roll when they go on space missions. Besides repairs, other creative uses for duct tape include strengthening cellular reception on the Apple iPhone 4 and as a form of medical treatment for removing warts called duct tape occlusion therapy, which research hasn’t been proven to be effective. Duct tape or duck tape? In this case, either pronunciation would be correct. According to Johnson Johnson’s website, the original green sticky cloth tape got its name during world war II when soldiers started calling it duck tape for the way liquids seem to roll off like water off a duck’s back. Not long after the war, the company launched a metallic-silver version called duct tape after executives discovered it can also be used to seal heating ducts. Interestingly enough, however, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory conducted field tests on heating ducts and determined that duct tape was insufficient for sealing leaks or cracks.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems Biography poems, or Bio poems, are a quick and easy way for young students to learn poetry. They allow students to express their personality and introduce themselves to others, making them a perfect activity for the first day of school. Bio poems can also be used to describe someone else, making them perfect for history lessons or other subjects where students might be studying key historical figures. You will see in the examples below that students can research someone like Rosa Parks, then create a Bio poem on her. Example Bio Poems Here are three examples of Bio Poems. One is about a teacher, one is about a student, and one is about a famous person that students researched. Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher Beth Kind, funny, hard-working, loving Sister of Amy Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book Who needs people, books, and computers Who gives help to students, smiles to her husband, and letters to family and friends Who fears war, hunger, and bad days Who would like to visit the pyramids in Egypt, teach the world’s greatest third graders, and read on the beach in Hawaii Resident of California Lewis Sample Bio Poem of a Student Braeden Athletic, strong, determined, fast Son of Janelle and Nathan and brother to Reesa Loves the Diary of a Whimpy Kid books, sports, and Baked Beans Who feels happy when playing with friends, and happy when playing sports and being with his family Who needs books, family, and Legos to by happy in life Who makes people laugh when someone is sad, who likes to gives smiles, and loves hugging Fears the dark, spiders, clowns Would like to visit Paris, France Resident of Buffalo Cox Sample Bio Poem of a Person Researched Rosa Determined, Brave, Strong, Caring Wife of Raymond Parks, and mother of her children Who loved freedom, education, and equality Who loved to stand up for her beliefs, loved to help others, disliked discrimination Who feared racism would never end, who feared she wouldnt be able to make a difference, who feared she wouldnt have enough courage to fight Who changed history by standing up to others and making a difference in equality Who wanted to see an end to discrimination, a world that was equal, and respect was given to all Born in Alabama, and resident in Detroit Parks