Why is it easier to tear newspaper vertically than horizontally?

Question

Try it for yourself. Tear a strip of your newspaper vertically - it comes off straight. Try it again, but tearing another strip horizontally - you get a jagged, uneven piece. Is it because of the way the paper is manufactured?

Answer 1

Paper is a sheet of material made up of many discrete cellulose fibres felted (bonded together). .

Paper is either `hand-made' or `machine-made'. The machine used for making paper could be either a cylinder machine or fourdrinier. Newsprint is invariably made on a Fourdrinier.

Tearing strength (`Internal tearing resistance') is the average force, in grams, required to tear a single sheet of paper under standardized conditions. The fibre orientation in a sheet of paper determines the tearing strength of the paper. If the orientation is at random, the tearing strength will be almost the same in all the directions. This is the case in `hand-made' and `cylinder-made' papers.

On the other hand, if the orientation is in one direction, the tear strength will be a minimum along that direction and a maximum along the cross (perpendicular) direction. This is the case in `fourdrinier-made' paper.

In the case of a paper made on the fourdrinier — essentially, a long continuous wire screen — the fibre orientation is mainly along the direction of travel on the machine, that is, in the machine direction. Hence, in the machine direction, the tear is obtained just by separating the felted fibres, without any significant cutting of the fibres.

But, in the cross direction, the `tear' is obtained mainly by cutting the fibres. Therefore, a much greater force, vis-à-vis the first case, would be needed.

Thus, a paper is easily torn `vertically' (in the machine direction) but not `horizontally' (in the cross direction). Contrastingly, paper is generally stronger (greater tensile strength) in the machine direction than in the cross direction.

Answer 2

Newsprint is made up of many wood fibers. The fibers are placed on printers in pulp form, consisting of 80 to 90 percent water -- the newsprint dries while in the machine. The printing machines are designed to line up the fibers in a horizontal position to add tear strength to the sheet vertically. When you rip the newspaper vertically, you are tearing with the grain, or more accurately, between grains. The same principle is in effect when one consumes Twizzlers brand licorice. Individual pieces rip off easily if you tear between the slices.

Answer 3

you've received some authentic assistance and some pretend assistance. Drywall became engineered through the inventors to be hung horizontally inspite of its length. basic lengths are 8' - 9' - 10' - 12'. at the same time as hung vertically you run the prospect of attending to shrink off the 'flat' (production unit papered area) because the framing isn't on 4' center which then turns that joint right into a 1/2-butt it really is more effective tricky to hide the joint. inspite of if the framing is proper, vertical 8' joints require the taper to get on his fingers and knees for the bottom and on a ladder to tape the proper. the in undemanding words income to vertical on proper framing is not any butt joints. Been putting and taping drywall as contractor for very last fifty years.

Answer 4

Short and sweet.
Newsprint is formed onto a moving web. This causes the fibers to be pulled in one direction, which causes them to lie parallel to each other (or nearly so). When you tear newspaper vertically you are pulling the fibers apart. When you tear it horizontally you have to actually break the fibers. This takes more force than merely separating the fibers.

Answer 5

Because you are tearing against the grain!

Answer 6

What he said. Are we a little bored right now?