Hooked on Science: Skewer a balloon

Put a skewer through a balloon and it will pop, right? Not so fast.

Materials

• Skewer
• Balloon

Instructions

STEP 1: Blow up the balloon, let some of the air out of the balloon, and then tie a knot at the end to hold the air inside the balloon.

STEP 2: Gently twist the skewer into the thick end of the balloon, opposite the knot. Continue to slowly push the skewer through the balloon until you push the skewer through the thick part near the knotted end of the balloon, stop and observe.

Explanation

The balloon is made up of polymers, which are long molecules that are linked together. These polymer strands seal up around the skewer, keeping the air from escaping. Once you pull the skewer out of the balloon, the air escapes and the balloon deflates.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.