Book 14, Question 62
Why Does Bubble Wrap Crack When You Squeeze It?
Bubble wrap pops because each bubble is a small pocket of trapped air! When you squeeze, the air inside is pushed harder and harder. Then the thin plastic gives way and the air bursts out.
More fun facts
- Bubble Wrap was invented by accident.
- In 1957, its inventors sealed two plastic shower curtains together, hoping to make textured wallpaper.
- They were disappointed at first to get a sheet with trapped air bubbles.
- The inventors, Fielding and Chavannes, started a company called Sealed Air.
- They were granted six patents for Bubble Wrap.
- They also tried selling it as greenhouse insulation, but it did not work well.
- It finally caught on when IBM needed a way to ship its new computers without damage.
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
What was Bubble Wrap first meant to be?
Its inventors were trying to make textured wallpaper.