Pressure Experiments

Here are several experiments in applying pressure a second time before the top paper is lifted.

Pressure along straight lines was applied with the blunt edge of a knife; the rim of a glass produced each circular pattern.

In all pictures, the papers are pulled apart from top to bottom.

Click each picture for a magnified view in a new window.

Here we see the result of applying pressure along a straight line, perpendicular to the direction of pull (left) and parallel to the direction of pull (right). On the left we see the patterns above and below the pressure line resemble one another, as far as the side on which the thinnest branches occur. On the right, the pressure line appears to attract the thinnest branches, so these intersect the pressure line perpendicularly.

Here two parallel pressure lines were applied. The effects of the previous experiment are reinforced.

Next the pressure is applied in along a zig-zag path, perpendicular to the direction of pull (left) and parallel to the direction of pull (right). Note again the tiny branches are oriented to intersect the pressure lines perpendicularly.

Now pressure is applied along circles, using cups. Again, we see the tiny branches are oriented toward intersecting the circles perpendicularly, though not so perfectly. Do you note any similarities in comparing these with the single pressure line, perpendicular to the direction of pull?

Return to Tanja Geis' experiments.