A balloon pops when the material that makes up its surface tears or shreds, creating a hole. Normally, there is a balance of the balloon skin's elastic tension in which every point on the balloon's surface is being pulled by the material surrounding it. However, if a hole is made on the balloon's surface, the force becomes imbalanced, since there is no longer any force exerted by the center of the hole on the material at its edge. As a result, the balloon's surface at the edge of the hole pulls away, making it bigger; the high pressure air can then escape through the hole and the balloon pops. A balloon can be popped by either physical or chemical actions. Limpanuparb ''et al.'' use popping a balloon as a demonstration to teach about physical and chemical hazards in laboratory safety.

Physical

A pin or

needle Needle may refer to: Crafting * Crochet needle, a tool for making loops in thread or yarn * Knitting needle, a tool for knitting, not as sharp as a sewing needle * Sewing needle, a long slender tool with a pointed tip * Trussing needle, a long sl ...

is frequently used to pop a balloon. As the needle or pin creates a hole on the balloon surface, the balloon pops. However, if tape is placed on the part where the hole is created, the balloon will not pop since the tape helps reinforce the elastic tension in that area, preventing the edges of the hole pulling away from the center. Likewise, the thick spots of the balloon at the top and the bottom can be pierced by a needle, pin, or even skewer without the balloon popping.

Chemical

File:Cis-1,4-polyisoprene.png, cis-1,4-polyisoprene File:Toluol.svg, toluene File:Limonene-2D-skeletal.svg, limonene

Organic solvent

Applying an organic solvent such as toluene onto a balloon's surface can pop it, since the solvent can partially dissolve the material making up the balloon's surface. cis-1,4- polyisoprene (solid) + organic solvent → cis-1,4-polyisoprene (partly dissolved)

Baby oil Baby oil is, in general terms, an inert oil for the purpose of keeping skin soft and supple. It is often used on babies for the purpose of maintaining "baby-soft" skin, but it is also often used by adults for skincare and massage. The skin of an ...

can also be applied to

water balloons A water balloon or water bomb is a balloon, often made of latex rubber, filled with water. Water balloons are used in a summer pastime of cooling off through water balloon fights. Water balloons are also popular for celebrations, including celebr ...

to pop them.

Orange peel

Orange peel contains a compound called limonene which is a hydrocarbon compound similar to the rubber that can be used to make balloons. Based on "like dissolves like" principle, rubber balloons can be dissolved by limonene, popping the balloon. If the balloon is vulcanized (hardened with sulfur), the balloon will not pop.

Gallery

File:Popping water balloon.jpg, Pricking a filled water balloon File:Balloon 9125 Nevit.ogv, High-speed capture of water balloon popping File:Balon patlatma 2 00001.gif, Pricking an air balloon File:Balloon popping by toluene.webm, A balloon popped by toluene File:Balloon skewer.webm, Balloon skewer demonstration File:Popped balloons on beach.jpg, Popped balloons on a beach

References

{{Reflist Balloons Physics education Chemistry classroom experiments Articles containing video clips

External links

The science behind why a balloon pops when squirted with an orange peel.