text: A balloon pops when the material that makes up its surface tears or shreds, creating a hole. Normally, there is a balance of the balloon skins elastic tension in which every point on the balloons surface is being pulled by the material surrounding it. However, if a hole is made on the balloons surface, the force becomes imbalanced, since there is no longer any force exerted by the center of the hole on the material at its edge. As a result, the balloons surface at the edge of the hole pulls away, making it bigger; the high pressure air can then escape through the hole and the balloon pops. A balloon can be popped by either physical or chemical actions. Limpanuparb et al. use popping a balloon as a demonstration to teach about physical and chemical hazards in laboratory safety.