Re: what causes bubble gum to stretch.

The gum base is what makes the bubble gum stretch.  Gum base has seen many 
changes since the first gum (Chiclets)was made in the 1880's.  Chicle, a 
natural occuring latex from the milky juice of the sapodilla tree in 
Central America, was coated with a candy coating for chewing.  Other 
natural resins and latexes such as Sorva and jetulong are also used as gum 
bases.  Most gums today are made with 'synthetic' or man made latexes due 
to the natural occuring latexes becoming scarce.  These man-made latexes 
are much like rubber bands.  They are stretchy and very springy in your 
mouth just as a rubber band is in your hands.  There is one big difference 
in rubber bands and gum base however,  Since you put the gum in your 
mouth, the Food and Drug Administration regulates these bases and their 
contents, rubber bands have no such regulation.  So, please don't put the 
rubber bands in your mouth, and don't swallow your gum.  Your stomach and 
digestive tract are not able to digest these bases.  They come out much 
the same way as when you swallow them.