Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 17:35:06 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <l03110701b241527a9f59@[192.174.3.228]>
In-Reply-To: <199810070721.AAA11890@isaac.exploratorium.edu>
To: "Pinhole Listserv" <pinhole@exploratorium.edu>
From: Eric Muller <emuller@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: re: Exploding Gummy Bears?
Hey Caleb,
I wrote up an expanding gummy bear activity a few years ago. It involves
placing gummy bears in water for a few days. If you want the write up, I'll
forward a "Word" document to you (or any one else).
Also....I use to burn gummy bears in an oxygen rich environment (oxidizer -
Potassium Chlorate)...very dramatic, but can be very dangerous. You must
wear safety goggles and only do this in well-ventilated room. Students
should be at least 10 feet away from the apparatus.
Clamp a test tube on a ring stand with a Bunsen burner under it.
Place a spoon full of KCl3 powder in a test tube.
Heat the test tube until the powder liquefies.
Shove a gummy bear into the tube (down into the liquid)
Stand back and watch it burn.
The gummy will burn extremely fast in an amazing hot flame. Some of the
molten KClO3 may sputter out of the test tube so be careful.
Eric Muller
Staff Teacher
Exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-561-0313
email:emuller@exploratorium.edu