Watermelon Experiment

BY: Mrs. Caffee, Science Teacher & Mr. Scheiderman, Support Staff

A group of Ocean Academy high schoolers experimented with using rubber bands to change the shape of a watermelon. You may have seen some of the popular videos on YouTube experimenting with this process. Our students worked in groups, taking turns stretching rubber bands over the midsection of a watermelon. The rubber bands varied in diameter from 1.25”-2.25” and at least 400 were necessary to achieve results.

    Each rubber band applies a small force to the watermelon. As more rubber bands are added to its midsection, the watermelon begins to change shape causing the atoms inside it to move. At some point the watermelon itself loses elasticity and breaks open. Some results can be explosive and ours was no exception! OA students were surprised by how cleanly the watermelon split in half, and the ball of rubber bands that remained.