Disappearing Pumpkins

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STEM Fun for Fall:
Disappearing Pumpkins Experiment 🎃🍬

Got leftover candy from Halloween? Turn it into a fun and educational science experiment that will boost your child’s observation skills while teaching them about solubility!

This simple experiment explores how different liquids affect pumpkin-shaped candy, giving young scientists a hands-on way to understand why some things dissolve while others don’t.

What You’ll Need:

  • 3 transparent cups, jars, or beakers
  • 3 pumpkin candies (or any candy you have on hand)
  • Water
  • Colourless pop (with sugar)
  • Vegetable oil
  • A marker for labeling
  • A timer

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Label your cups: Write “water,” “oil,” and “pop” on three separate cups.
  2. Fill the cups: Pour water, oil, and pop into the labeled cups, filling each one halfway.
  3. Drop the candy: Place one pumpkin candy in each cup.
  4. Observe: Every five minutes for 30 minutes, check on the candies and note any changes.

What’s Happening? 🧐

As you and your child observe the candies, you’ll notice some interesting science at play! Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening:

  • In the water and pop: The candy will start to dissolve, but it happens faster in the pop. Why? It’s all about carbonation! The bubbles from the pop help agitate the liquid, causing the colored sugar to disperse more quickly.
  • In the oil: The candy won’t dissolve at all. The oil and the sugar candy simply don’t mix. This is where solubility and molecular structure come into play!
  • A Waxy Layer: As the pumpkin candies dissolve, you’ll notice a waxy layer peel off, but it stays in one piece. That’s because the candy has both a sugary inside (which dissolves in water and pop) and a waxy exterior (which doesn’t dissolve easily).

The Science of Solubility 🔬

So, why do substances dissolve in some liquids but not others? The key is in the concept of polarity. Simply put, molecules that have similar properties (like water and sugar) tend to dissolve each other. That’s why the candy dissolves in water and pop but stays intact in oil, which is non-polar.

“Like dissolves like” is the golden rule! Since oil and sugar don’t share similar molecular structures, they won’t mix.

Extension Ideas:

Take this experiment further! Try different types of candy and see if they behave the same way. Will gummy bears dissolve faster than hard candy? What happens with chocolate?

This simple, hands-on activity is a fun way to introduce scientific principles like solubility and molecular motion, while encouraging children to make detailed observations and ask questions. Plus, it’s a great use for leftover candy!

Happy experimenting!


Party Like a Scientist

If your young scientist at home enjoys hands-on explorations, consider booking a STEM-themed birthday party! Our birthday party program brings the excitement of STEM exploration to kids at home and can be delivered anywhere in Canada. Mini Science Bags are sent ahead for each participant, too. There are several themes to choose from, from exploring the magic of science to discovering the sweet science in a bag of colourful Skittles. Many workshops are also available in French.

Invite a Scientist to Your Child’s Classroom

Consider supporting education in the classroom. Let your child’s teacher know about our hands-on curriculum-aligned programming that is designed to spark curiosity and get kids excited about the world around them. We offer online workshops across the country and onsite workshops in select areas. Find out how it works here, STEM Workshops for Classrooms.

We are a leading Canadian STEM education charity and the majority of our dynamic presenters have academic or professional backgrounds in STEM.

You can also invite us to your upcoming Parent Council Meeting. We would be happy to share the wonders of our program with educators and parents. Email us to find out more information, at bookings@scientistsinschool.ca.

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