Powder Absorbs 800x its Weight in Water

How does sodium polyacrylate, or waterlock, hold up to 800 times its weight in water? In this educational video, Museum Educator Karen explains how sodium polyacrylate is a polymer, meaning it is made up of long chains of molecules. The spaces between those hydrogen and carbon atoms allow for the storage of large quantities of water, causing the sodium polyacrylate to swell and become a gel. However, this effect can be reversed by adding table salt to the gel, which causes it to break down into a slush by unlocking the water!