The blue planet is rich in both flora and fauna. Apart from having a wide range of animals, there are some amazing characteristics each animal is blessed with. The strength of a spider web is one of such fascinating characteristics of a spider, the web-building creature. Let us learn more about this fact in this article. A Spider Web Stop A Boeing 747 Airplane
The fact check.
As per some fact tellers, “A thick web woven by a spider can stop a Boeing- 747 airplanes with its full length and thickness”. The spider web with a width as of a pencil can resist the movement of an airplane. The strength to accomplish this phenomenon is dependent on an important feature i.e, a weight can be hung on a thread and its weight can be measured before the thread breaks. The property of being elastic is also an important feature to be considered. Another thing that makes this process being achieved is the weight per volume of thread. This property applies as directly proportioned form i.e, the more the weight per volume, the least better it would be.
To get more specific with the information we went through a source article regarding Nephilia clavipes spider silk. This type of silk is unbelievably hard-hitting in that it can carry more weight than a steel piece. Considering quantitatively, the silk produced by a spider is stronger than steel by five times with the same diameter. The spider silk mentioned to hold on the Boeing 747 is nearly strong as that of Kevlar, the strongest man-made polymer ever manufactured. This silk is truly hard and is extremely fine, even finer than a human’s hair. Further, this silk thread is capable of attaining a strength below -40°C.
Moreover, another thing kept in focus while doing the Boeing 747 trial is the type of spider silk being used. It is inferred that the dragline silk obtained from the Nephilim clavipes (the Golden Orb-Weaving spider) can be used for this task to be completed. This spider is mentioned because it uses the silk of a golden hue for the creation of orb webs.
More to know.
The else you need to know about the spider silk is comprised in the following bullets:
- The spider silk is so elastic or stretchable such as rubber.
- It can easily capture silk. More specifically, the spider silk is a little sticky to easily catch its prey and hence is capable of catching the silk nearby.
- After capturing this type of silk is capable of remaining strong and unbroken even being stretched for two to three times upto its actual length.
- Another important feature is the stiffness and elasticity of spider silk. It is more elastic and tough than silk produced by any other such animal or insect. The silk is also produced by silkworms. But to the surprise, the silk produced by the spider is more waterproof when both silk (spider silk and silkworm silk) are compared. Even if the silk of both creatures is used n different ways, spider silk is more preferred.
- With a wider range of its applications, the spider silk can be simply seen as ultra-tough fibres. That is more silk-based products can be manufactured using it for many purposes.
- A Spider Web Stop A Boeing 747 Airplane
