For this independent lab I decided to answer the question of how to make exploding gummy bears.
It is a very simple but fun to look lab. I got the idea of the lab after searching on the internet for fun chemistry experiments. This one caught my eyes because of how fantastic it looked. I instantly wanted to replicate the experiment.
The first thing we did for this lab was go to Trader Joes and buy a pack of gummy bears. We ate most of the pack at lunch because we only needed one red gummy bear. We chose red because we thought it would give the best color (this is not true).
Then inside the fume hood, we set up an apparatus that had a test tube held in the air by a clamp. We did the lab inside the fume hood because of the fumes the reaction would give out.
We filled the bottom of the test tube with Potassium Chlorate. We then used a torch to heat up the Potassium Chlorate until it was a liquid. When it was finally liquified, we were ready the drop the gummy bear into the test tube.
Here is how it looked:
It is a very simple but fun to look lab. I got the idea of the lab after searching on the internet for fun chemistry experiments. This one caught my eyes because of how fantastic it looked. I instantly wanted to replicate the experiment.
The first thing we did for this lab was go to Trader Joes and buy a pack of gummy bears. We ate most of the pack at lunch because we only needed one red gummy bear. We chose red because we thought it would give the best color (this is not true).
Then inside the fume hood, we set up an apparatus that had a test tube held in the air by a clamp. We did the lab inside the fume hood because of the fumes the reaction would give out.
We filled the bottom of the test tube with Potassium Chlorate. We then used a torch to heat up the Potassium Chlorate until it was a liquid. When it was finally liquified, we were ready the drop the gummy bear into the test tube.
Here is how it looked:
This lab was really successful and worked out perfectly. The reaction taking place looked absolutely fantastic and looked similar to the videos I used for information. This was what made me happiest with how the lab turned out.
There were two reactions that occurred during this lab. The first that occurred was decomposition, which is when a compound is split apart into two pieces. When the potassium chlorate (KClO3) was liquified by the torch, it decomposed into potassium chloride (KCl) and oxide or oxygen (O2).
Here is the equation for this reaction:
2 KClO3 -> 2 KCl + 3 O2
The second reaction occurs when the gummy bear is dropped into the test tube. There is a combustion reaction, which is when oxygen reacts with anything. The glucose (C6H12O6) from the gummy bear reacts with the oxygen or oxide from the decomposition. This is also an Exothermic reaction because it releases energy in the form of light and heat.
Here is the equation for this reaction:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 -> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
At first, we hypothesized that the colors of the flames would depend on the color of the gummy bear. We later found out that the purple flames from this reaction actually comes from the potassium chloride being burned. We observed this during the Flame Test Lab.
I thought that we got very desirable results. The reaction that came from dropping a gummy bear into the test tube look absolutely fantastic. There was really no way that we could have gotten undesirable results since we closely followed instructions on how to do this reaction. We also followed all of the safety rules in order to be completely safe.
I thought I did really well in this lab. I was the one who wrote the lab's proposal. I also worked efficiently to find all the materials and set everything up. I made sure to learn about everything that was going on in the reaction so I could explain it to anyone who had questions.
For this lab, I worked with Franky. We worked really well together. We were able to complete this lab together efficiently and successfully. No arguments took place between us because we were able to communicate with each other very well. This is because we have already done plenty of labs together.
I do not think there are any ways we could possibly get results better than the ones actually got. We could have placed more potassium chlorate and dropped more gummy bears. However, that seems to be very dangerous.
I would work with Franky again because we have already worked together on many labs. When I work with him I already know what to expect.
I do not see any possible way I could continue doing this lab. However, if there were any ways I could continue, I would actually want to do it.
The most important thing I learned from this lab was how important safety is. I kept on imagining how badly things would be if "something bad" happened in the reaction and there was not glass between it and me. The reaction was already super bright and loud. I would want as much protection as possible.
There were two reactions that occurred during this lab. The first that occurred was decomposition, which is when a compound is split apart into two pieces. When the potassium chlorate (KClO3) was liquified by the torch, it decomposed into potassium chloride (KCl) and oxide or oxygen (O2).
Here is the equation for this reaction:
2 KClO3 -> 2 KCl + 3 O2
The second reaction occurs when the gummy bear is dropped into the test tube. There is a combustion reaction, which is when oxygen reacts with anything. The glucose (C6H12O6) from the gummy bear reacts with the oxygen or oxide from the decomposition. This is also an Exothermic reaction because it releases energy in the form of light and heat.
Here is the equation for this reaction:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 -> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
At first, we hypothesized that the colors of the flames would depend on the color of the gummy bear. We later found out that the purple flames from this reaction actually comes from the potassium chloride being burned. We observed this during the Flame Test Lab.
I thought that we got very desirable results. The reaction that came from dropping a gummy bear into the test tube look absolutely fantastic. There was really no way that we could have gotten undesirable results since we closely followed instructions on how to do this reaction. We also followed all of the safety rules in order to be completely safe.
I thought I did really well in this lab. I was the one who wrote the lab's proposal. I also worked efficiently to find all the materials and set everything up. I made sure to learn about everything that was going on in the reaction so I could explain it to anyone who had questions.
For this lab, I worked with Franky. We worked really well together. We were able to complete this lab together efficiently and successfully. No arguments took place between us because we were able to communicate with each other very well. This is because we have already done plenty of labs together.
I do not think there are any ways we could possibly get results better than the ones actually got. We could have placed more potassium chlorate and dropped more gummy bears. However, that seems to be very dangerous.
I would work with Franky again because we have already worked together on many labs. When I work with him I already know what to expect.
I do not see any possible way I could continue doing this lab. However, if there were any ways I could continue, I would actually want to do it.
The most important thing I learned from this lab was how important safety is. I kept on imagining how badly things would be if "something bad" happened in the reaction and there was not glass between it and me. The reaction was already super bright and loud. I would want as much protection as possible.