Science is a highly competitive field so if you’re aiming for the top, this is a good time to get your science fair project ideas in order and start planning. Avoid last-minute panic, impress the judges and grab top grades with these three delicious and easy candy-based science fair projects. Ready to start?
Expanding Balloons with Pop Rocks
“Pop Rocks” by Carolina Alves Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
As all candy lovers know, Pop Rocks RULE! And in case you were wondering, there’s an interesting science angle to these fizzing popping little dudes. Here’s how you can explore it.
You will need
- Pop Rocks
- Balloon
- A 12 oz. bottle of soda
- Funnel
What to do
- Dump an entire package of Pop Rocks into a balloon. This is easier said than done, so place a small funnel in the mouth of the balloon to avoid spills.
- Open the soda bottle and carefully stretch the balloon over its mouth. Make sure the candy doesn’t slip into the bottle before you’re ready.
- Now, quickly dump the candy into the bottle and watch all the interesting things that happen when soda and candy meet for the very first time.
- Did the balloon inflate without you doing a thing?
How did it happen?
Pop Rocks contain pressurized carbon dioxide gas that makes the famous popping sound when released from its candy shell prison. But the amount of carbon dioxide present in the candy isn’t enough to inflate a balloon on its own. However, soda also contains pressurized carbon dioxide gas that escapes from the fructose-rich corn syrup when you drop Pop Rocks into it. Because the balloon is tightly clamped over the bottle’s mouth, this gas has no place to go except straight up into the balloon.
Finding Acid in Sour Candy
“_MG_7421” by Chris Short licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Sour foods contain acid and acidic foods produce carbon dioxide bubbles when they react with baking soda. Here’s something you can do to demonstrate that sour candy contains acid.
You will need
- Sour or fruit candy (Nerds, LemonHeads, Pixy Stix, etc.)
- Baking soda
- Measuring cup
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Water
What to do
- Dissolve the candy in half a cup of water. Try crushing hard candies to make the process faster.
- Add a spoonful of baking soda to this mixture and blend.
- If you can see bubbles rising up from the mixture, the candy contains acid.
Lighting up with Lifesavers
“100 k wint-o-green” by Windell Oskay licensed under CC BY 2.0
Here’s the how (and the why) of producing magical lights with Lifesavers.
You will need
- A dark room
- Mirror
- Wintergreen Lifesavers
What to do
- Turn off the lights and stand in the dark facing the mirror.
- Chew on some wintergreen Lifesavers
- Can you see those blue flashes of light?
How does it happen?
When you chew on the Lifesavers, you break down the chemical bonds between the molecules of the candy. In certain foods, this produces energy, sometimes light energy as in the case of wintergreen Lifesavers. It is the wintergreen oil present in the candy that is responsible for the blue light produced during chewing.
Sweet or sour, candy is one of the best chemistry teachers you’ll ever learn from!
Alternate Tutelage 
What is wint o green?
It’s the name of the photo. I think he means wintergreen!