A New Year Möbius Strip

This is absolutely what I looked like when I thought about 2023 New Year’s Eve:

What you need: metallic foil paper (but plain paper will do), scissors, tape, and a marker

What you do:

1. Cut a strip of paper at least 1″ in width

3. Start writing a number pattern of 1-2-3-1-2-3 for this New Years Eve (12/31/23) – or simply draw a line along one surface of the loop

4. Notice that while you continue numbering, the loop has one side and a reoccurring pattern of numbers 1-2-3. You will end up joining the first “1” that you wrote with the last “3”!

5. Try cutting with the loop of paper down the center and see if you can create a bigger loop from the smaller one – trust me, it’s confounding!

What is the science: The Möbius Strip is one loop with one side – even though it’s formed using two-sided paper. This trick was first discovered by a 19th century mathematician, August Ferdinand Möbius, and not until this year (2023) did someone solve one of the mysteries of the phenomenon by how short of a strip of paper you can make to still have this loop occur!

There are practical science applications of a Möbius strip like using a twisted a fan belt in a car to ensure even wear and most recently applying this phenomenon to nanostructures!

2023 was another amazing year (full of wonder for our family) and it is only fitting that it ends with a bit of loopy number magic! Check out all of our New Year’s Eve experiments here!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Comments

Marie Pool says

March 26, 2024 at 5:55 pm

Love your website! I am a high school and college chemistry instructor. I have volunteered to be “reader” for a summer program for elementary students and would like to read a chapter from one of your books. I would love to have a hands-on activity to do with the children that attend. Please suggest a book/chapter and an activity. Thanks in advance for the help. Marie

- Tracy says
  
  April 14, 2024 at 5:48 am
  
  Hi Marie! Thank you for your comment! I love reading Chapter 1 of Book 1 and doing a simple oobleck experiment with students. The recipe can be found online or in the back of Book 1 Summer Set in Motion. Thank you and let me know how it goes!

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