Bending and twisting

Bend a straw, twist a towel.

Bend it

You can bend a straw or a pipe cleaner. Bamboo bends in the wind but does not break.

The ridges in a bendy straw let it curve one way and then the other.

To twist, you turn two ends different ways. We twist a wet towel to get the water out. Twisting jute fibres makes strong rope.

When fibres are twisted together, they hold each other tight. That makes rope strong.

You can stretch a sock or a balloon. Pulling makes them longer.

If you blow too much air into a balloon, it stretches too far and pops.

Bend a wooden pencil too much – it breaks! Some materials snap if you bend or twist them too far.

Young, green branches bend easily. Old, dry branches snap more quickly.