The History of Rubber Bands

A rubber band is a common household item that is formed from rubber and latex. This is a strand that forms a looped shape that is used to bind or hold items or objects together. They are referred to by different names, such as rubber band, binder, elastic band, laggy band, or even gumband. Cameron Wigton was given the official patent for this product. He received the patent on March 17, 1845 in Australia.

While the rubber band looks simple, the manufacturing process is deeply involved and complicated. A long tube is fed the rubber that gives the strand its shape. It is then cured with heat. Then, the long tube is sliced to make a series to small bands. Rubber bands are usually made with natural rubber to enhance elasticity. This is different than many rubber products that usually use synthetic rubber. The rubber used in a rubber band comes from the sap of a rubber tree. A common playful use of rubber bands is by making them into a ball. This ball will bounce due to the rubber material. This is done by tying a rubber band into a knot. Then, rubber bands are wrapped around this knot, making the "ball" become larger and larger. Slingshots have also been created from rubber bands.

When measuring a rubber band, you must measure three different dimensions - the length, width, and thickness. The length is half of the rubber band's circumference. The thickness is the outside of the circle to the inside of the circle. The width tells you how far apart the rubber band was slit when in the tube form. The temperature can change the way a rubber band performs. When heat is applied, the rubber band contracts. Rubber bands are tallied and sorted for their size. Each kind of rubber band is numbered. The smallest number is given to the smallest rubber band, while the biggest number is the biggest rubber band.

Rubber bands numbered eight through nineteen are all 1/16 of an inch wide but vary in length. Rubber bands thirty through thirty-four are all 1/8 of an inch wide. The standard used in this process is not standard, so there is some conflict when determining a rubber band's size. An interesting dynamic in rubber bands is the thermodynamics. If a rubber band is stretched, it will produce heat, but if it is released, it will appear cooler. This is due to Gibbs' Free Energy, in which enthalpy, entropy, and free energy are inserted in an equation to show that changes.

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