Christina Svensson

06.04.2009
Mr. Porter
SCH3UE
% sugar in bubble gum

Purpose:
To determine the percentage of sugar in bubblegum

Procedure:
1) Determine mass of bubblegum (with its wrapping)
2) Take bubble gum out of its wrapping (make sure to save the wrapping for later use!)
3) Chew the bubblegum until it feels hard and tasteless
4) Put the bubblegum on the wrapping
5) Let the bubblegum dry
6) After days of drying, determine the mass of the bubblegum
7) Record observations

Qualitative observations:
Bubblegum before experiment Bubblegum after completed experiment
– Solid – Solid
– Pink – Pink
– Soft – Hard
– Dry – Wet

Quantitative observations:
Before completed experiment
Mass of bubblegum with wrapping
Mass of bubblegum
Mass of wrapping

After competed experiment

Mass of bubblegum with wrapping
Mass of bubblegum
Mass of wrapping

Calculations:

Sources of error:
Any artificial flavour or colours the bubblegum contained might have been “chewed out” of the
bubblegum. This will affect the mass of the bubblegum calculated because it is assumed that the
mass being “chewed out”; of the bubblegum is all sugar. This will increase the calculated sugar
percentage in the bubblegum.
Unknown “materials” in the chewers’ mouth might have stuck to the bubblegum while chewing.
This will affect the calculated mass of the bubblegum, because, as said previously, the mass
“chewed out” of the bubblegum is assumed to be sugar. This will increase the calculated
percentage of sugar in the bubblegum.
Since the bubblegum was touched, impurities might have been transferred from the hand
touching it, to the bubblegum. These foreign substances might change the mass of the
bubblegum when measured, hence; it will increase the calculated percentage of sugar in the
bubblegum. This is because, as mentioned earlier, the mass “chewed out” of the bubblegum is
assumed to be sugar, not impurities.

Conclusion: