Photo courtesy of the Ithaca ScienCenter

When the test was actually conducted, the jeans held until all were removed but one pair. This photo shows the moment at which the final pair tore and dropped the car.

The Sciencenter of Ithaca and Cornell University will answer a "jean-etics" question July 13, 10:30 a.m., at the Sciencenter: How many bluejeans does it take to lift a Volvo?

To celebrate the center's newest exhibit, Clothing: Science from Head to Toe, pairs of bluejeans will be attached to a crane and their tensile strength tested by lifting a 3,500-pound Volvo.

Charles Trautmann, Cornell adjunct professor of civil and environmental engineering, and director of the Sciencenter, will conduct the demonstration. He will be available to comment and to explain the engineering principles.

The public is invited to watch the demonstration without charge. However, there is an admission charge to view the exhibit.

The clothing exhibit, funded by the National Science Foundation, examines the science and technology of modern clothing. It shows how clothes can provide warmth, protect against bullets and the environment of outer space, and safeguard against biological dangers. The exhibit will run from July 10 through October 25.