In this relay race, students discover the strength of chemical bonds by trying to "out-pop" the other teams.
A balloon's rubber consists of many long chains of molecules called polymers. The chains are linked together like noodles stuck to each other in a plate of cooked spaghetti.
Polymer links can be stretched and compressed, giving the balloon its elasticity. If they are pulled too much, however, the rubber will tear allowing all the gas trapped inside to come rushing out. You can stretch a balloon to its limit by adding more gas inside or by compressing the balloon, forcing the gas inside to exert its pressure on a smaller area.