What will happen if you pierce a pencil through a bag full of water? You’d think it would break and create a huge mess. Or would it? This experiment is great for kids of all ages.

Equipment

  • A see-through plastic bag
  • Sharp pencils
  • Water (with a little bit of food colouring if you wish)

Instructions

  1. Fill the bag with water
  2. Carefully pierce the bag with pencils

What happens?

Plastic bags are made of polymers. Polymers are a very flexible material. They can wrap around the pencil and form a seal around it. But if you pull a pencil out, the hole grows too big and the polymers are no longer to seal it.

What will happen if you pierce a pencil through a bag full of water? You’d think it would break and create a huge mess. Or would it? This experiment is great for kids of all ages. Equipment A see-through plastic bag Sharp pencils Water (with a little bit of food colouring if you wish) Instructions….Click to read more