"Science: Why Shoelace Knot Failure"

by Nsikan Akpan

To break down the physics of the phenomena, the researchers attached a small device to the free end of the laces that measured acceleration, and then Gregg went for a walk or a jog. This acceleration creates inertia, which is the tendency for an object to keep moving once it is in motion.

“We were surprised that the accelerations were so high. They’re like 7 g [units of acceleration] ,” O’Reilly said. “By way of comparison, the highest g on a roller coaster are 6.3. Your foot is experiencing these really high g-forces as you’re running all the time. It’s a biomechanical miracle that all of that impact is absorbed through your body and spine.”

The knot itself is under pressure too. The videos showed as the shoelaces bounce up and down with each footfall, the main knot begins to deform. Once the knot opens sufficiently, then the free end of the lace, which is being tugged by inertia, begins to slip out.

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Question
Use the passage from “The Science Behind Why Your Shoelace Knot Is Doomed to Fail” by Nsikan Akpan to answer the question.

Which connection is demonstrated by the passage?

(1 point)
Responses

the impact of acceleration on the spine
the impact of acceleration on the spine

the impact of acceleration on shoes
the impact of acceleration on shoes

the impact of inertia on knots
the impact of inertia on knots

the impact of inertia on the foot

1 answer

The correct response is:

the impact of inertia on knots

This is because the passage discusses how inertia affects the shoelace knot, leading it to slip and potentially fail due to the high forces exerted during activities like walking or jogging.