 |
Why is tape sticky? |
by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author
Stick it to me! – The reason tape is so sticky is that the sticky side of it contains a product called “adhesive.” Adhesive is different from glue. Glue is only able to be sticky and hold things together when it dries and hardens. Adhesive, on the other hand, is already in its sticky state when you first pull it from the roll of tape!
Different kinds of tape use different kinds of adhesive, depending on what the tape needs to hold together. In many cases, tape adhesive is able to stick thanks to tiny bubble-like air pockets! Did you think tape was smooth and flat? It might look that way, but if you studied it under a microscope, you might see that it actually has ridges and bumps! When tape is placed on an object, those bubbles and the adhesive around them bind in a suction-like way, and hold together!!
Most tape adhesive today is made by chemicals created by scientists, although naturally sticky things like resin and rubber have been used too!
Sticky fingers!
Get a roll of tape and a few different test surfaces you can play with. (Ask the grown-ups in your house which surfaces are O.K.) Try to find one made of wood, one plastic, one metal, and one cardboard or paper.
Stick a piece of tape to each one, and then pull the tape off. Does the tape stick just as strongly to each surface, or does it stick more strongly to some than to others?? Can you think of any reasons why the tape might work the way it does on each surface?
Different kinds of tape use different kinds of adhesive, depending on what the tape needs to hold together. In many cases, tape adhesive is able to stick thanks to tiny bubble-like air pockets! Did you think tape was smooth and flat? It might look that way, but if you studied it under a microscope, you might see that it actually has ridges and bumps! When tape is placed on an object, those bubbles and the adhesive around them bind in a suction-like way, and hold together!!
Most tape adhesive today is made by chemicals created by scientists, although naturally sticky things like resin and rubber have been used too!
Sticky fingers!
Get a roll of tape and a few different test surfaces you can play with. (Ask the grown-ups in your house which surfaces are O.K.) Try to find one made of wood, one plastic, one metal, and one cardboard or paper.
Stick a piece of tape to each one, and then pull the tape off. Does the tape stick just as strongly to each surface, or does it stick more strongly to some than to others?? Can you think of any reasons why the tape might work the way it does on each surface?
