Gummy Bear Lab

Name: Karen Lima

Period: 3
rd


Dates: 9/26/14

Laboratory Experiment Guiding Question:
What is the relationship between density and polymer structure?
Beginning Question:
What do you think will happen to a Gummy Bear when put in water overnight?
Hypothesis:
If I leave a Gummy Bear I water overnight, then it will expand, because the water was absorbed
in the Gummy Bear.
Safety:
No horseplay is accepted during the lab. No eating or drinking materials such as, gummy bears,
gummy worms, and water. They could be contaminated with mercury. Wear protective lab wear.
Follow all instructions and ask for help if needed. Do not perform unauthorized experiments.
Keep area clear of unnecessary materials like backpacks and jackets.
Test/Procedures:
Materials that will be needed are one gummy bear, one gummy worm, tap water, cup, ruler,
scale, calculator, and towel. You will also need tape, pencil, and paper. On day one, begin by
recording data based on your observations. Find and record the measurements of the gummy
bear and worm, which include: length, width, thickness, volume, mass, density, and color too.
Next, place the gummy bear and gummy worm in a cup and fill the cup with 50 mL of water. Put
a piece of tape on the cup with your name and period. Finally, just place the cup in a safe place
where it wont tip over or fall and let it sit there overnight.
On day two, retrieve your cup from the safe place. Drain the gummies into your hands over a
sink or bowl. Place your gummies in a towel to dry. Record your observations and
measurements. Compare your measurements from day one to day two. Record the amount of
change that occurred.
Data and Observations:
On the first day of the experiment the gummy bear was orange, but on the second day its color
faded to yellow. The gummy worm also faded in color. It started looking green and red, but the
next day it was yellow and pink. Both gummies had a strong fruity scent, but after being in
water, it had a less fruity scent. At first the gummies were stiff, hard and were held together. The
next day the gummies were very fragile, squishy, and the worm split in half.

Gummy Bear:
Color Length Width Thickness Volume Mass Density
Day 1 Orange 2 cm .6 cm .5 cm .6 cm
3
2.6 g 4.33
g/cm
3

Day 2 Yellow 3.3 cm 1.5 cm 1.9 cm 9.41cm
3
8.8 g .94 g/cm
3
Change Color
faded
1.3 cm

.9 cm 1.4 cm 8.81cm
3
6.2 g 3.39
g/cm
3



Gummy Worms:
Color Length Width Thickness Volume Mass Density
Day 1 Green
and Red
4 cm .3 cm .6 cm .72 cm
3
9.2 g 12.78
g/cm
3
Day 2 Yellow
and Pink
15 cm .9 cm 1.8 cm 24.3 cm
3
29.7 g 1.22
g/cm
3
Change Color
faded
11 cm .6 cm 1.2 cm 23.58 cm
3
20.5 g 11.56
g/cm
3


Claims:
If I leave a Gummy Bear in water overnight it will absorb the water and change in size.
Evidence:
On the first day of the experiment I measured the dimensions of the bear. This was when the
gummy bear not yet in water. It had a length of 2 cm, a width of 0.6 cm, and a thickness of 0.5
cm. I also measured the volume and mass, which were 0.6 cm
3
and 2.6 g. It had a density of
4.33g/cm
3
. I then placed the gummy bear in a cup of water overnight. After it has been in water
overnight I drain the water from the cup. I recollect data as the day before. The new
measurements are: 3.3 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width, 1.9 cm in thickness, 9.41 cm
3
in volume,
8.8 g in mass, and .94g/cm
3
in density. There was an amount of change that occurred overnight.
The change in length was 1.3 cm, .9 cm in width, 1.4 cm in thickness, 8.81 cm
3
in volume, 6.2 g
in mass, and 3.39g/cm
3
decrease in density. Since there was a change in volume and mass, the
density would change. The change in density decreased. This happened because the volume
increased more than its mass after being in water overnight. Overall the gummy bear changed in
size and in density, because the gelatin polymer in the gummy trapped the water.
Reading and Reflection:
1. What is gelatin? Draw a molecular structure for gelatin.
Gelatin is a virtually colorless and tasteless water-soluble protein prepared from collagen
and used in food preparation as the basis of jellies, in photographic processes, and in
glue.

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2. What happens to the structure of the gelatin at the molecular level when you add water to
the gelatin?
When gelatin mix is dissolved in water the tiny spaghetti-like proteins within it become
tangled and intertwine. Water is trapped between the chains. While they become tangled,
a mesh of pockets that holds water, sugar, and other agents is formed and added to the
mixture for flavor. After refrigerating the liquid mixture, it becomes a jiggly solid.

3. Write a paragraph about the relationship between density and gelatin polymeric structure.
The relationship between density and gelatin polymeric structure is water. When a
Gummy Bear has been in water overnight the gummy bears density decreases. This
happens because water is trapped in the chains of the polymeric structure. As this occurs
the density changes. The first day the density was 4.33 g/cm
3
and the following day it
was .94 g/cm
3
. The changed was 3.39 g/cm
3
. This happened because the gummy bears
volume increased more than its mass. Whenever the volume of an object increases more
than its mass, the objects density decreases. Therefore, since the volume of the gummy
bear increased more than its mass, the bears density was decreased in comparison to its
original density.