Needle Through Balloon
Ok let's face it everyone loves to watch a sharp skewer go through a balloon
without popping it. Under normal circumstances needles and balloons don't mix.
However, with the right technique it can be done and is sure to please the crowd!
Materials:
1) Sharp BBQ Skewer (I prefer the bamboo kind from the supermarket)
2) Some good quality large latex balloons.
3) Petroleum Jelly, Baby Oil, or Cooking Oil
Watch Video
Process:
1) Blow up your balloon all the way until it's all the way inflated.
2) Let out about 1/3 of the air.
3) Tie the balloon off.
4) Get out your bamboo BBQ skewer / needle
5) Give the skewer a good liberal coating of the oil or petroleum jelly from the point
to the opposite end of the skewer.
6) Turn the balloon to the opposite end of the place where it is tied off and look for
the dark circle.
7) Put the pointed tip of the skewer through the darkest part of the balloon by
putting gentle pressure on it while twisting the skewer in one direction with your
finger tips.
8) Once the skewer has pierced this end, move it through the inside of the balloon
until you hit the area where the balloon is tied. Gentle twist the skewer through this
area and out the other side.
The Science:
Congratulations you successfully put a needle through a balloon! The balloons
we used are comprised of a material called latex. Latex is stretchy because it is
made of polymers. Polymers are long chains of molecules cross linked together.
In a balloon the polymer molecules form something resembling an air proof web
that can be stretched out when blown up. Most things made of plastic are
polymers.
The dark spots on the balloon are thicker than the rest of the balloon. This is the
point where the latex molecules are under the least amount of strain. The balloon
fails to pop when a sharp skewer is twisted through the dark spots because the
polymers are pushed aside but remain bonded by the cross-links - keeping the
air inside. We put oil or petroleum jelly on the skewer to ensure a smooth slide
through the balloon. If you were to try and poke the needle through the part of the
balloon that was under the most severe strain or stretch (the sides) the balloon
would pop.
without popping it. Under normal circumstances needles and balloons don't mix.
However, with the right technique it can be done and is sure to please the crowd!
Materials:
1) Sharp BBQ Skewer (I prefer the bamboo kind from the supermarket)
2) Some good quality large latex balloons.
3) Petroleum Jelly, Baby Oil, or Cooking Oil
Watch Video
Process:
1) Blow up your balloon all the way until it's all the way inflated.
2) Let out about 1/3 of the air.
3) Tie the balloon off.
4) Get out your bamboo BBQ skewer / needle
5) Give the skewer a good liberal coating of the oil or petroleum jelly from the point
to the opposite end of the skewer.
6) Turn the balloon to the opposite end of the place where it is tied off and look for
the dark circle.
7) Put the pointed tip of the skewer through the darkest part of the balloon by
putting gentle pressure on it while twisting the skewer in one direction with your
finger tips.
8) Once the skewer has pierced this end, move it through the inside of the balloon
until you hit the area where the balloon is tied. Gentle twist the skewer through this
area and out the other side.
The Science:
Congratulations you successfully put a needle through a balloon! The balloons
we used are comprised of a material called latex. Latex is stretchy because it is
made of polymers. Polymers are long chains of molecules cross linked together.
In a balloon the polymer molecules form something resembling an air proof web
that can be stretched out when blown up. Most things made of plastic are
polymers.
The dark spots on the balloon are thicker than the rest of the balloon. This is the
point where the latex molecules are under the least amount of strain. The balloon
fails to pop when a sharp skewer is twisted through the dark spots because the
polymers are pushed aside but remain bonded by the cross-links - keeping the
air inside. We put oil or petroleum jelly on the skewer to ensure a smooth slide
through the balloon. If you were to try and poke the needle through the part of the
balloon that was under the most severe strain or stretch (the sides) the balloon
would pop.
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