Why does gum stretch?
The reason for the gum's elasticity is due to the elasticity of the chicle from the sapodilla tree from which the gum is made, which allows it to expand and contract.
The reason why this elasticity exists is rather difficult to explain. The simple explanation is that the secret lies in the way the "molecules" that make up the chicle are connected. Chicle molecules have a structure that allows them to expand and contract. This is why it is so elastic.
Recently, a plastic called vinyl acetate resin is being used instead of sapodilla. Because of its elasticity, it can stretch and shrink in the same way as Chicle.
