Fire-Resistant Water Balloons--Water science

 This morning I found this neat experiment on the Steven Spangler website.

Perfect for a summer afternoon...although I was very doubtful that it would work.

You need:

An adult

balloons

candle

lighter

water



 

This first video shows what happens when Gracie holds a air filled balloon over a candle flame.

POP!!

Next, fill a balloon with water and then blow it up.

One of the first balloons with water---about 1/4 of a cup of water--was brought into the house, (the tub to be exact) because we couldn't keep the candle burning.

Amazingly, it did not pop...and we held it over the flame--where the water was--for several minutes.

I was impressed.

 

Then Daddy got home, and we had to shown him this amazing sight.

He decided to fill up a water balloon and have at it directly with the lighter.

It would not pop....it balloon wouldn't melt, (like I thought it would)  We tried to get it to pop for at least ten minutes.



 

Look at that soot.  That is not damage to the balloon, but soot from the flame.

Science is amazing!

Taken directly from the Steven Spangler website, here is the explanation of this experiment:

"How Does It Work?

Water is a great substance for soaking up heat.  The thin balloon allows the heat to pass through very quickly and warm the water.  As the water closest to the flame heats up, it begins to rise and cooler water replaces it at the bottom of the balloon. This cooler water then soaks up more heat and the process repeats itself. In fact, the exchange of water happens so often that it keeps the balloon from ever popping! The soot on the bottom of the balloon is actually carbon.  The carbon was deposited on the balloon by the flame, and the balloon remains undamaged." Steven Spangler