Pop or No Pop Magic!
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What will happen when you stick a pencil through a plastic bag full of water? 


​Hypothesis

​We think the pencil will pop the bag and the water will leak out through the holes.

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Our Experiment


​Materials: 

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  • Plastic bag with a seal
  • Pencils
  • Water
  • Small pitcher or water bottle for pouring water


​Safety Procedures

  • Don’t put the plastic bags over your head or near your mouth.
  • Don’t put the pencils near your eyes or mouth.
  • Don’t open the plastic bag once it is full of water.
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Procedure:


  1. Open bag and fill 2/3 full with water. 
  2. Seal bag.
  3. Twist pencil continuously as it enters the bag, continuing through the other side of the bag.
  4. Repeat step 3 with 2 more pencils from different angles and opposite side of bag.
  5. Observe whether the bag leaks.


Observations:
​We observed that when the pencil is twisted as it enters the bag, no water leaks out of the bag, even with several pencils poked through the bag in different directions. 

Watch us in action:


​Conclusion:

​​In conclusion, our hypothesis was wrong.  The bag of water with the pencils stuck through it does not leak because the bag is made out of polymers.  
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​The Science behind the Magic:

​Polymers are a chain of molecules which are flexible and tough.  The polymers hug around the sides of the pencils, creating a water-tight seal preventing any water from leaking out of the bag.  With the Leak-Proof Bag experiment, the objective of this experiment is to show that plastic has a lot of properties and that it is very stretchy.  The secret isn't magic, it's just the chemistry of polymers.
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About the Authors:

Sammy Cabo

My name is Sammy Cabo and I'm 10 years old.  I have 3 siblings, Alex in 7th grade, Sean in 3rd grade and Alli in 2nd grade.  I am in Mrs. Luke’s class.  I dance at Spotlight Studios on the dance company and I like to spend time with my friends and family, especially on vacation.  I also love to swim. My favorite colors are pink and blue.  In school, I enjoy writing the most. My favorite book is “The Isle of the Lost.” 

Julia Rossi

My name is Julia Rossi, I am 11 years old, and have a brother, Nick, who is in 8th grade. My teacher is Mrs.Gronert/Pepe. I have many interests, including
acting, singing, building Legos, swimming, but my favorites are Softball, Basketball, Baking, and my passion is Dance. I dance all styles of dance and I am on an elite dance company for Spotlight Studios.  I love the color periwinkle and I love fashion. In school I enjoy reading and writing and I recently read a book called Wonder, which has become a new favorite of mine.  I enjoy spending time with my family including movies, golf, and going on family vacations!
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