To Curl or Not to Curl

We like doing each others hair.  We tried using rollers to make our hair curly.  This got us wondering about rollers.  We wanted to know the science behind curly hair.

Before

With rollers

After

Question: Which material curls best when using rollers ?

pipe cleaner

construction paper

yarn

curling ribbon

felt

satin ribbon

tinfoil

paper towel

artifical hair

human hair

cloth



Hypothesis:We think that the pipe cleaner would curl the most because the metal in the pipe cleaner is more stiff than the other materials and will hold the curl better.

Materials:

hair dryer

ruler

spray bottle

notebook and pencil

rollers

Procedure:

1.Gather and lay out materials.
2.Measure each object to 10 inches and cut.
3.Put water in spray bottle and then spray each object.
4.Roll each material onto the roller.
5.Use a hair dryer and dry the materials.
6.Take the materials off the roller.
7.Remeasure your materials to see the outcome of the experiment. 
8.Record data.

Special Needs:
For our experiment we need to be by an outlet for the hair dryer.

Watch us in action:

Safety Procedures

When using a hair dryer do not have it touching the object you are drying.

Results

Conclusion
In conclusion , we accept our hypothesis.  Our hypothesis was correct because we predicted that the pipe cleaner would curl the most and it did.  The reason why the pipe cleaner curled the best is that there is a metal wire in the pipe cleaner.  We found out that metals are malleable,  which means the material can be bent and shaped.  This is because metals consist of layers of atoms.  These layers can slide over one another when the metal is bent or curled around the roller.From this experiment we learned a lot about the structure of hair.  Hair is made up of two parts: the follicle in your scalp and the hair shaft, which is your hair.  The hair shaft is made up of proteins called Keratin and is surrounded by the cuticle.  The protein in Keratin is made up of 4 chains of amino acids held together by chemical bonds.  When we wrapped the hair around the roller and sprayed water on it, the bonds in the hair weakened  and reformed into a different shape, causing the hair to curl. We also observed that curling ribbon curled and the satin ribbon didn't curl at all.  We found out that when you pull a scissor on a piece of curling ribbon, it makes a curl because the molecules in the ribbon get stretched and form a new shape.  The satin ribbon does not curl because it is made up of many threads so the molecules do not break down or stretch.

Layers of atoms slide over each other when metals are bent or stretched.

curling ribbon

satin ribbon

Why it matters
It might seem like this topic is just about wanting to be pretty.  But actually, it has applications for real science.

Understanding how molecules curl is being used to research blood cells attacked by the disease malaria.

Scientists are trying to figure out how to make metal cables uncurl after they are transported on a spool.

It is also important to understand how best to have healthy pretty hair and long luscious locks like Beyoncé.

About Sara

I am ten years old I am in fifth grade.  My favorite hobbies are gymnastics and dance. My favorite T.V show is Dance Moms .

About Maeve

I am 11 years old and I am in the 5th grade. My favorite hobbies are New York Elite cheer and tumbling. My favorite T.V. show is Dance Moms. My favorite movie is Mean Girls.

About Maggie
I am ten years old and am in fifth grade. I do Irish dance and play the piano. My favorite T.V. show is Full House.
 


Soures

• Pantene, "The Science of Curly Hair," www.pantene.com​
  
  
• L'Oréal, "Playing with Shapes" and "Unexpected Properties of Hair," www.hair-science.com​
  
  
• Dr. Karl S. Kruszelnicki, "The Secrets of Ribbon Curling Revealed," www.abc.net​
  
  
• Jeffrey Kluger, "The Physics of Curly Hair-Because You Deserve to Know," www.time.com