Wow!! When we first saw the name of this experiment, the boys were like “No Way!”
The skewer is too sharp and will pop the balloon.
The skewer is too sharp and will pop the balloon.
Yes, this did happen, the first four times. I was able to get the skewer through one end and it would always pop the balloon when trying to get it out. You need to make sure that you try to push the skewer out in the right place!! Then it works. I did it a couple of times, then R asked if he could have a go. He got it first time!! The second time he popped the balloon.What you need: 
- balloons
- bamboo kebab skewers
- oil (I used olive oil)
Soak the skewer in oil for a little bit, while you blow up the balloon. The balloon needs to be able to fit in the skewer through it, so not too big.
Starting at the end of the balloon (where the knot is), slow push the skewer, while spinning it, gently into the balloon.
Next, slowly spin and push the skewer out the other end of the balloon, in the part where the darkest colour is.
Why can you do this? Balloons are made of rubber called latex, which is made up of long chain-like molecules that are tangled together.
When a sharp skewer is slowly pushed, while spinning, through the balloon the chains are pushed aside, but remain bonded together. The oil helps the skewer to slip into the balloon more easily.
The areas that you push the skewer through are not as tightly stretched as the rest of the balloon, which allows the strands to have more give.
Steve Spangler Science – Skewer Through A Balloon
Skewer Through A Balloon – Utube
Linking to:
We Made That
Next Gen Homeschool
Upsidedown Homeschooling
123homeschool4me
The Dedicated House
Sweden Country Study with Activities
This is great — my girls love science experiments! This sounds like something that would really impress them. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at NextGen Homeschool’s What’s Working Wednesday link-up, we hope you’ll keep sharing with us!
Renée at NextGen Homeschool
I am going to steal it to impress my two boys 🙂
Pinning it…