Pencils in a Plastic Water Bag
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What do you think would happen if you poked a plastic bag filled with water using sharp pencils? Let us carry out this amusing experiment to find out the answer. All you will need is a Ziplock plastic bag, water, and some colored pencils.
Steps:
- Fill about 2/3 of the Ziplock plastic bag with water.
- Seal the bag.
- Poke the bag with a sharp pencil, but do not take it out.
- Repeat step three as many times as you would like.
- Now you have a Ziplock plastic bag filled with water and decorated with an array of colorful pencils; why does not the water leak out?
The Science Behind the Activity
Plastic is composed of flexible polymer molecules. When you push a sharp pencil into the bag, the molecules forming the bag shift to allow the pencil to penetrate. Then, they immediately mold again around the opening surrounding the pencil, forming a seal preventing the water from leakage.
Reference
acs.org
Cover image source: niftythriftydiyer.com