Candy Science Experiments : Expanding Candy

All the excess candy that has accumulated at our home

(left over stuff from Tams birthday)

gives me the perfect excuse to try out the newest book in our collection:

Candy Science Experiments by Lora Levitt.

There are so many awesome experiments to choose from.

The book is divided into chapters based on different themes. 

Each section contains four or five different experiments dealing with those themes.

After much consideration, I finally settled on two themes:

• Expanding candy experiments 

• Melting candy experiments 

The Butterballs conducted 2 experiments dealing with expanding candy.

Experiment one: Expanding candy using water

 Supplies : marshmallow worm, gummi worm, water

 We placed the gummi worm and marshmallow worm side-by-side(picture on the top left)

The Butterballs noticed that the marshmallow worm was much larger than the gummi worm. 

After filling 2 bowls with water, the Butterballs gently lowered their candy into cold water.

Each Butterball had a turn to predict what would happen to the candy.

Their memories amazed me... 

Tamlyn remembered us growing water beads from tiny little seeds 

and predicted that the candy would grow just like the water beads.

Ethan remembered our baking soda and vinegar experiments

 and predicted that both candies would dissolve.

 We left the candy in their 'bath' overnight. 

The next morning the Butterballs carefully fished them out of the water 

and placed them next to unsoaked candy.

The gummi worm had absorbed a lot of water and grew to roughly 3 times its original size.

The marshmallow worm also absorbed water but not as much as the gummi worm.

According to Ethan, the gummi worm was really thirsty so it sucked up more water.

The Butterballs learnt that gummi candy absorbs more water than marshmallows 

and that the water causes the candy to swell and increase in size.

 Experiment 2 : Using heat to expand candy.

Supplies : gummi worm, Marshmallow worm, microwave.

This experiment was pretty straight forward.

We simply placed the candy onto a plate and popped it into the microwave for a few seconds.

The Butterballs both predicted that the candy would melt and watched the candy closely as it was nuked.

 They were really amazed to see the marshmallow worm puff up to almost 4 times it's original size.

I couldn't get a clear shot of the marshmallow worm in the microwave but I did manage to snap an after shot.

The marshmallow worm collapsed the moment I removed it from the microwave.

The gummi worm remained relatively unchanged , it was just slightly sticky and was just beginning to melt.

 The Butterballs were really amazed that heat could produce such totally different effects on the candy.

When they are older, I would love to redo these experiments

 and get them to measure the candy before and after the experiments. 

It would also be great to get them to plot the measurements on a graph...one day!