Can you fold a piece of paper more than 7 times 2024?
I'll answer
Earn 20 gold coins for an accepted answer.20
Earn 20 gold coins for an accepted answer.
40more
40more
Lucas Taylor
Works at the International Monetary Fund, Lives in Washington, D.C., USA.
I'm an expert in the field of materials science and have a deep understanding of the properties of various materials, including paper. Let's delve into the fascinating subject of paper folding.
Folding a piece of paper is a simple yet intriguing concept that has been the subject of much discussion and even some myth-busting. The idea that you cannot fold a piece of paper more than seven times is a common belief, but as you've mentioned, this has been challenged and proven incorrect under certain conditions.
The difficulty of folding paper increases exponentially with each fold due to the exponential increase in the paper's thickness and the decrease in its area. When you fold a sheet of paper in half, you're doubling its thickness and halving its area. This means that with each fold, the paper's thickness becomes twice as thick as it was before the fold, and the area becomes half of what it was.
However, the myth that paper cannot be folded more than seven times is based on a common experience with standard-sized sheets of paper, such as those found in a typical office or home. The reason this limit is often reached is due to the physical constraints of the paper's size and strength. As you attempt to fold the paper, the increasing bulk and resistance make it increasingly difficult to fold cleanly and without tearing.
But what about the exceptions? The Mythbusters, a popular science television show, and Britney Gallivan, a student who set a record, have shown that with the right conditions, paper can indeed be folded more than seven times. The key is the paper's size and thinness. Britney Gallivan, for example, used a very large roll of toilet paper that was also quite thin, allowing her to fold it 12 times.
The process involves starting with a very large sheet of paper and gradually folding it in half multiple times. Each time, the paper's thickness increases, but because the starting material is so large, there is more room for the folds before the paper becomes too thick to handle. Additionally, the paper must be of a type that can withstand the stress of folding without tearing, which is why toilet paper or other thin, strong materials are often used.
It's also important to note that the act of folding paper in this manner is not just a physical challenge but also a mathematical one. The number of times a piece of paper can be folded is related to the logarithm of the paper's size. The formula that approximates the maximum number of times a paper can be folded is:
\[ \text{Number of folds} \approx \log_2(\text{Paper size}) - \log_2(\text{Paper thickness}) \]
This formula shows that the larger the paper and the thinner it is, the more times it can theoretically be folded.
In conclusion, while it is challenging to fold a standard sheet of paper more than seven times, with specialized paper that is both large and thin, it is indeed possible to fold it more times. The record set by Britney Gallivan stands as a testament to the combination of patience, material properties, and the mathematical principles governing the folding process.
Folding a piece of paper is a simple yet intriguing concept that has been the subject of much discussion and even some myth-busting. The idea that you cannot fold a piece of paper more than seven times is a common belief, but as you've mentioned, this has been challenged and proven incorrect under certain conditions.
The difficulty of folding paper increases exponentially with each fold due to the exponential increase in the paper's thickness and the decrease in its area. When you fold a sheet of paper in half, you're doubling its thickness and halving its area. This means that with each fold, the paper's thickness becomes twice as thick as it was before the fold, and the area becomes half of what it was.
However, the myth that paper cannot be folded more than seven times is based on a common experience with standard-sized sheets of paper, such as those found in a typical office or home. The reason this limit is often reached is due to the physical constraints of the paper's size and strength. As you attempt to fold the paper, the increasing bulk and resistance make it increasingly difficult to fold cleanly and without tearing.
But what about the exceptions? The Mythbusters, a popular science television show, and Britney Gallivan, a student who set a record, have shown that with the right conditions, paper can indeed be folded more than seven times. The key is the paper's size and thinness. Britney Gallivan, for example, used a very large roll of toilet paper that was also quite thin, allowing her to fold it 12 times.
The process involves starting with a very large sheet of paper and gradually folding it in half multiple times. Each time, the paper's thickness increases, but because the starting material is so large, there is more room for the folds before the paper becomes too thick to handle. Additionally, the paper must be of a type that can withstand the stress of folding without tearing, which is why toilet paper or other thin, strong materials are often used.
It's also important to note that the act of folding paper in this manner is not just a physical challenge but also a mathematical one. The number of times a piece of paper can be folded is related to the logarithm of the paper's size. The formula that approximates the maximum number of times a paper can be folded is:
\[ \text{Number of folds} \approx \log_2(\text{Paper size}) - \log_2(\text{Paper thickness}) \]
This formula shows that the larger the paper and the thinner it is, the more times it can theoretically be folded.
In conclusion, while it is challenging to fold a standard sheet of paper more than seven times, with specialized paper that is both large and thin, it is indeed possible to fold it more times. The record set by Britney Gallivan stands as a testament to the combination of patience, material properties, and the mathematical principles governing the folding process.
2024-06-11 04:26:02
reply(1)
Helpful(1122)
Helpful
Helpful(2)
Works at the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Lives in Rome, Italy.
There's an old myth that you can't fold a single sheet of paper in half more than seven times. Thanks to Mythbusters and Britney Gallivan we know that with very specialized (large and thin) sheets of paper, you can fold paper 11 or 12 times respectively.Mar 17, 2016
2023-06-14 15:04:32
Lucas Wilson
QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
There's an old myth that you can't fold a single sheet of paper in half more than seven times. Thanks to Mythbusters and Britney Gallivan we know that with very specialized (large and thin) sheets of paper, you can fold paper 11 or 12 times respectively.Mar 17, 2016
