Transcript Halloween Candy Investigation

Halloween Candy
Investigation
Reynolds 2011
This time of year….
• Sugar, candy, junk food, and chocolate are
very common.
Let’s test some old
candy that you don’t
see much of these
days.
Pop Rocks® vs. Zotz®
• Well- the knock off kind at least…. These are
the originals.
Set up your Journal
Add a chart like this:
How it looks
How it feels
How it Reacts w/ How it tastes &
H2O
acts in mouth
Zotz®
Pop Rocks®
Then leave room on your page to draw and
write explanations & inferences:
Follow The Steps:
1. Open a Zotz® candy
2. Write & Draw what Zotz® look like
3. Add a few drops of water to the Zotz ®.
Record your observations and explanation for
what has happened.
Follow The Steps:
4. Suck on the Zotz® or Bizzerks® candy without
biting it.
5. Record your observations in your journal
Follow The Steps:
6. Open the Pop Rocks® and place a few of the
rocks on the paper towel. Write & Draw your
observations in your journal.
7. Add a few drops of water. Record your
observations.
Follow The Steps:
8. Hold a few Pop Rocks® in your hand; close
your hand and record your observations.
9. Put some of the Pop Rocks® in your mouth.
Do not chew. Record your observations.
10. Write an inference for your observations.
11. Add an investigable question to your list.
Questions
1. Which type of candy produced a physical
change?
2. How do you know?
3. Which type of candy produced a chemical
change?
4. How do you know?
Explanations
The active ingredients in Zotz® candies are sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid, and citric
acid in the dry form. Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda. Citric acid is found in citrus
fruits. Tartaric acid is found in many fruits; cream of tartar, derived from the
fermentation of wine, is potassium salt of tartaric acid. When these ingredients are
combined with water, chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas takes
place.
The popping sensation observed in the activity resulted when the sodium bicarbonate
reacted with the two acids to form carbon dioxide bubbles, which break on the
tongue. However, the reaction did not occur until water (or saliva) was added. The
water dissolved the solids and allowed them to react with one another to form the
new product, carbon dioxide. It is a chemical change, or reaction.
Pop Rocks® do not contain sodium bicarbonate or either of the acids found in the other
candies. The pop that results is caused by the release of carbon dioxide bubbles that
are encapsulated within the candy. Addition of water weakens the structure of the
solid, allowing the gas to break through and cause the pop. This is a physical change,
rather than a chemical reaction, because no new products are formed.