Gummy Bear Science

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Materials

• Gummy Bears

• 3 glasses of water

• 1 tbsp of salt

• 1 tbsp of sugar

• Ruler

• Calculator

• Kitchen scale

• Paper towels

• Pen and paper

• Clock or timer

Directions

1. Select 3 gummy bears of the same color.

2. Measure the length, height and width of each gummy bear and write it down.

3. Weigh each gummy bear and write it down.

4. Label each glass with its contents: water, salt water or sugar water.

5. Fill the glass labeled water with one-half cup of plain water.

6. Fill the glass with labeled salt water with one-half cup of water. Add and mix in one tablespoon of salt until all the salt has dissolved.

7. Fill the glass labeled sugar water with one-half cup of water. Add and mix in one tablespoon of sugar until all the sugar has dissolved.

8. Add a gummy bear to each glass and note the time.

9. Wait 12 hours, measure and weigh each gummy bear.

10. Replace the gummy bears back into their glasses.

11. Check back after 24 hours, measure and weigh each gummy bear.

12. Replace the gummy bears back into their glasses.

13. Check back after 48 hours, measure and weigh each gummy bear.

adapted from Love to Know

What’s Happening?
Gummy bears contain gelatin which is the same ingredient in Jell-O. Once the water and gelatin have cooled, the water in the gummy bears is drawn out leaving behind a delicious solid candy bear. Gelatin is a long chain-like molecule that twists to create a solid form. When a gummy bear is placed in a glass of water, it becomes the solute. The solute is the dissolved material in the solution. The water is the solvent. Since the gummy bear does not contain water, when it is added to a glass of water, the water moves into the gummy bear by the process of osmosis.