Name: Mrs. Gillespie
Assignment: Science Fair - Final Copy
Title: Toilet Paper Strength
Problem Statement: Which brand of toilet paper is the strongest?
Independent Variable: The different brands of toilet paper – Charmin, Cottonelle, and Value
Dependent Variable: The number of pennies each brand holds
Controlled Variables: The size of the toilet paper, amount of water applied to each piece, how the water is
applied to the toilet paper, how the weights (pennies) are dropped
Background Information: On average, people in the United State utilize 8 million tons of toilet paper annually.
Clearly, this show that toilet paper is important because everyone uses it, and people want to make sure that
they’re buying the best toilet paper that they can. According to the product’s website, Cottonelle costs
approximately $.56 per roll, and it has one layer. This one layer is made to be soft and has moisturizer on it.
The magazine Consumer Reports found that Cottonelle does not disintegrate as fast as other brands. On the
other hand, Charmin costs about $.63 per roll and has two layers. Users say that it soaks up a a lot of fluid, yet
it is still sturdy and comfortable. Value brand toilet paper is the cheapest at $.47 per roll. Like the Cottonelle, it
has one layer, but it is much thinner than the other brands.
Hypothesis: The Cottonelle toilet paper will be the strongest because it feels thick, and it has a pattern on the
paper that will absorb more water.
Materials:
 3 squares of Cottonelle toilet paper
 3 squares of Charmin toilet paper
 3 squares of Value toilet paper
 1 medium sized beaker
 1 rubber band
 100 pennies
 1 dropper
 100 mL of Water (in a plastic cup)
Procedure:
1. Gather all materials and place on table
2. Take one square of Cottonelle toilet paper and gently secure it to the top of the beaker using the
rubber band
3. Fill the dropper up with water from the cup
4. Carefully drop 10 drops of water onto the middle of the piece of toilet paper
5. Add pennies onto the center of the toilet paper square, one at a time, until the toilet paper breaks
6. Record the number of pennies that the toilet paper help on the data table
7. Repeat steps 1-6 with other squares of toilet paper
Data Table:
Toilet Paper Strength (Number of Pennies Held)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Mean/Average
Cottonelle 25
30
28
27.7
Charmin 71
64
68
67.7
Value
12
12
13
12.3
Graph:
Conclusion:
During my experiment on toilet paper strength, I found that the Charmin was the strongest of the
three brands of toilet paper that I tested. I observed that the Value brand was the weakest, as it only held an
average of 12.3 pennies. In addition, the Cottonelle brand had a medium strength because it held an average
of 27.7 pennies. Overwhelmingly, the Charmin was the strongest; it held an average of 67.7 pennies. Clearly,
my hypothesis that Cottonelle would be the strongest was incorrect. I infer that the Charmin was the
strongest because it had three layers of paper, and it had ridges. I believe the layers and the thickness made it
possible for the Charmin to absorb more water while still not ripping. Additionally, my background research
showed that Charmin is the most expensive brand, so that could be related to its strength. While I tried to
make my experiment as accurate as possible by following my procedure, I still feel I could have done some
things differently. For example, sometimes I dropped the water from different heights which may have
affected my results. If I were to perform this experiment again, I would definitely make sure to control where
and how I drop the water on the toilet paper. Also, I would do more trials to make my data even more
accurate. Lastly, I would test some different types of toilet paper to truly see which brand is the strongest.
Bibliography (from www.bibme.org):
"Bathroom Tissue: Charmin Basic Bathroom Tissue | Charmin.com." Bathroom Tissue: Charmin Basic
Bathroom Tissue | Charmin.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://www.charmin.com/basic-bathroomtissue.aspx>.
"The Cottonelle Care Routine." Cottonelle. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
<https://www.cottonelle.com/products/dry-moist>.
"Toilet paper." Top Reviews. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/toiletpaper.htm>.
TOUGH
ENOUGH?
Toilet Paper
Strength
Name: Mrs. Gillespie
Assignment: Science Fair - Final Copy
Toilet Paper Strength
Problem Statement:
Which brand of toilet paper is the strongest?
Independent Variable:
The different brands of toilet paper – Charmin,
Cottonelle, and Value
Dependent Variable:
The number of pennies each brand holds.
Controlled Variables:
The size of the toilet paper, amount of water applied
to each piece, how the water is applied to the toilet
paper, how the weights (pennies) are dropped
Research (Background Information):
On average, people in the United State utilize 8
million tons of toilet paper annually. Clearly, this show
that toilet paper is important because everyone uses it,
and people want to make sure that they’re buying the
best toilet paper that they can. According to the
product’s website, Cottonelle costs approximately $.56
per roll, and it has one layer. This one layer is made to
be soft and has moisturizer on it. The magazine
Consumer Reports found that Cottonelle does not
disintegrate as fast as other brands. On the other
hand, Charmin costs about $.63 per roll and has two
layers. Users say that it soaks up a a lot of fluid, yet it is
still sturdy and comfortable. Value brand toilet paper is
the cheapest at $.47 per roll. Like the Cottonelle, it has
one layer, but it is much thinner than the other brands.
Hypothesis:
The Cottonelle toilet paper will be the strongest
because it feels thick, and it has a pattern on the paper
that will absorb more water.
Materials:




3 squares of Cottonelle toilet paper
3 squares of Charmin toilet paper
3 squares of Value toilet paper
1 medium sized beaker




1 rubber band
100 pennies
1 dropper
100 mL of Water (in a plastic cup)
Procedure:
1. Gather all materials and place on table
2. Take one square of Cottonelle toilet paper and
gently secure it to the top of the beaker using the
rubber band
3. Fill the dropper up with water from the cup
4. Carefully drop 10 drops of water onto the middle
of the piece of toilet paper
5. Add pennies onto the center of the toilet paper
square, one at a time, until the toilet paper breaks
6. Record the number of pennies that the toilet
paper help on the data table
7. Repeat steps 1-6 with other squares of toilet
paper
Data Table:
Toilet Paper Strength (Number of Pennies Held)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Mean/Average
Cottonelle 25
30
28
27.7
Charmin 71
64
68
67.7
Value
12
12
13
12.3
Graph:
Conclusion:
During my experiment on toilet paper strength, I
found that the Charmin was the strongest of the three
brands of toilet paper that I tested. I observed that the
Value brand was the weakest, as it only held an
average of 12.3 pennies. In addition, the Cottonelle
brand had a medium strength because it held an
average of 27.7 pennies. Overwhelmingly, the Charmin
was the strongest; it held an average of 67.7 pennies.
Clearly, my hypothesis that Cottonelle would be the
strongest was incorrect. I infer that the Charmin was
the strongest because it had three layers of paper, and
it had ridges. I believe the layers and the thickness
made it possible for the Charmin to absorb more water
while still not ripping. Additionally, my background
research showed that Charmin is the most expensive
brand, so that could be related to its strength. While I
tried to make my experiment as accurate as possible
by following my procedure, I still feel I could have done
some things differently. For example, sometimes I
dropped the water from different heights which may
have affected my results. If I were to perform this
experiment again, I would definitely make sure to
control where and how I drop the water on the toilet
paper. Also, I would do more trials to make my data
even more accurate. Lastly, I would test some different
types of toilet paper to truly see which brand is the
strongest.
Bibliography
"Bathroom Tissue: Charmin Basic Bathroom Tissue |
Charmin.com." Bathroom Tissue: Charmin Basic
Bathroom Tissue | Charmin.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14
Oct. 2013. <http://www.charmin.com/basicbathroom-tissue.aspx>.
"The Cottonelle Care Routine." Cottonelle. N.p., n.d.
Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
<https://www.cottonelle.com/products/dry-moist>.
"Toilet paper." Top Reviews. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct.
2013. <http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/toiletpaper.htm>.
TOUGH
ENOUGH?
Toilet Paper
Strength