Can a Laser Ignite a Firecracker Inside a Balloon Without Popping It? See for Yourself…
- Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:21pm by
Liz Klimas
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Some people are obsessed with playing with fire. Following a similar vein, a person going by the YouTube alias WorldScott is obsessed with lasers — and occasionally the explosive reactions they can cause.
In his latest endeavor — there are a couple dozen laser videos credited to WorldScott — the laser junkie shows us how to use a laser beam to allegedly* ignite a firecracker inside a balloon. What he wants to figure out is if the laser will cause the balloon to pop. Turns out it does and it doesn’t. It all depends on the color of the balloon.
Check out the footage to see:
In the description, WorldScott explains how this works (and why the clear balloon doesn’t pop):
The balloon used in this demonstration was not fully inflated. Fully inflated balloons will not behave in the same manner. The laser does not pop the transparent balloon because the energy of the laser beam light passes through it virtually unhindered. In the bonus clip the balloons pop because they are darker and opaque. Material that is generally darker, opaque and not overly reflective absorbs the light energy and converts it into heat. The heat burns the balloon and causes it to fail and pop.
Amazingly, as you saw, the transparent balloon remains in tact. WorldScott uses a 1,000 mW blue light laser to conduct this experiment. Some YouTube commenters who are a little skeptical pose the question why the laser beam shows up so well in the footage, and WorldScott explains he filled the room with smoke to enhance visibility of the laser.
If you didn’t stick it out for the bonus clip of WorldScott exploding colored balloons toward the end, here it is:
WorldScott has also used lasers to burst water balloons and pop popcorn. See more of those videos here.
*You just never know with viral videos like this.
[H/T io9]
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Doctor Nordo
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:50pmNext story should be that when you drop a rock it falls towards the earth.
Report Post »mongastanman
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:15pmIs he anti-gay, he blew up a “rainbow” of balloons!!!
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:45pmHate Crime!!!!!
Report Post »facta-non-verba
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:28amwhat a closed minded bigot.
Report Post »AllAmericanGirl22
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:03pmAwesome! I wanna try!
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:49pmNeeto
Report Post »KyleD
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:56pmThis isn’t impressive at all. The heat of the laser is produced by focused light being absorbed by an object. Since the balloon is completely transparent the light that causes the heat passes through it until it hits something that it can heat up or until it dissipates.
How do you find completely transparent balloons anyway?
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:39pmWell who licked the red off your candy Debbie downer?
Kill Joy!
Report Post »comsense08
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:10pmcalled a condom
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 5:13amSorry, you are techniquely Wrong! Lasors… alike Light… have two distinct properties… one being a Beam of Electrons… but equally a Wave Beam that can penetrate through solid objects, affect only what is on the other side, and these Waves exist in Color Bands, which will Unite with some Colors and pass through other Colors.
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on April 11, 2012 at 12:13am@KyleD
You are smart enough to figure out how the experiment works but too stupid to know were to purchase translucent balloons?
Brilliant, just brilliant!
Report Post »Docrow
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:56pmOnly works with a clear balloon. Color gathers heat and cause those to pop.
Report Post »Tracy Y. Andersen
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:37pmAin’t lasers fun? All the sorts of toys I didn’t have as a kid three-quarters of a century ago. Now we have ‘em, and I want ‘em. Just a few bucks, but public disapproval? But… I’m just a recycled teenager, just recycled too many times, I guess. I’ve watched technology grow, and even worked in it. An x-ray window that I glued up is now residing on Mars, in the Rover. I have reached out and touched Mars! Well, figuratively. Quite a comparison to my first toy, made by Dad — a piece of 2×12, square, with casters for wheels, and a length of twine to pull it with. Ah, memories… . . .
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:34pm“She blinded me with science!”
No, she blinded you with a 1000 mW laser.
Report Post »deano24
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:33pmThat’s a good one.
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:05pmSo apparently Middle School level physics is now newsworthy.
Report Post »Ron Staiger
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:54pmSo what
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:48pmCould it lite a fart inside of someone? That would be the ultimate assassination technique.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:20pmor the end of “he who smelt it dealt it”.
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:52pmHilarious!
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:22pmThanks for the laugh!
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:38pmI was wondering if Brietbart could have been taken down by a laser..could a laser make your heart fibrillate? in which case you would die of apparent natural causes? I do not believe he just collapsed soon after he announced he had shocking info on Obama.. I don’t believe it especially after reading the story of the Hillary campaign worker who got someone important to back her and the next day someone burst into his office and shot him dead.
Report Post »When you hear that a couple of gay men in Obama’s Chicago church were murdered ( prior to the election) and no one seems to know why and the families want to know.
Lots of things that make you wonder.
KyleD
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:02pmNo, it’s not possible in the slightest. Lasers burn things…and that’s it. If somehow he were “taken down by a laser” he would have a burnt hole in his chest and heart. Very noticeable and it would not have been attributed to natural causes…would be similar to a bullet wound but without the bullet.
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