The Strength of Spider Silk
Written by Studio AM.
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Spider silk combines strength with an ability to stretch. This combination helps a web absorb the impact of a flying insect. A strong but brittle material breaks with little stretching; some spider silks can absorb considerable energy before breaking. The silk's properties and the arrangement of the web work together to resist damage.
A spider can produce several kinds of silk from different glands, each suited to a task. In an orb web, one type helps form the supporting frame, while another forms the sticky spiral that catches insects. Spiders also use silk to protect eggs and make safety lines.
Scientists study silk's proteins and how spiders turn them into fibers. Producing materials with similar properties consistently and at a large scale remains challenging. Potential uses include strong, lightweight fibers and medical materials. Copying the ingredients alone is not enough; the process used to form the fibers matters too.
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Questions
Choose an answer. The explanation appears after you answer.
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Question 1 of 4
Why do engineers find spider silk especially impressive?
The answer is B: It combines strength with stretch
Silk can combine strength with stretch, allowing it to absorb energy rather than immediately breaking.
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Question 2 of 4
According to the passage, what is one kind of silk used for?
The answer is A: Building the web's frame
The text says one sort of silk 'forms the sturdy frame of the web.'
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Question 3 of 4
In this passage, 'brittle' most nearly means
The answer is B: likely to snap or break
A brittle material breaks with little stretching, as the first paragraph explains.
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Question 4 of 4
Which statement best captures the main idea?
The answer is A: Spider silk combines strength and stretch but remains hard to copy
The passage connects silk’s strength and stretch, its different uses, and challenges in manufacturing similar fibers.
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