Two tablespoons of cornstarch powder were spooned into this balloon before inflation. The balloon was then shaken to distribute the powder in a thin layer on the inner surface. The balloon was shot from a range of 20 feet with the sound trigger about a foot away. A length of string with a small hanging weight served to anchor the balloon.   next photo  previous photo Paintball gallery

There seems to be some order in what happens during the explosion. The balloon neatly tears away from the inner coating of cornstarch, leaving behind what appears to be a solid, balloon-shaped cloud of powder with characteristic ripples in it, perhaps indicating places of air compression and rarefaction created by the sound of the explosion. The paintball is moving from right to left, and is still probably making its passage through the balloon, hidden by the cornstarch powder. The left hand wall of the balloon is still intact.