Author: Maddie Van Beek
Today you’re going to combine science with your sweet tooth!
Instant Slushy
Today you’re going to combine science with your sweet tooth!
Instant Slushy
http://img.theepochtimes.com/n3/eet-content/uploads/2015/05/01/Screen-Shot-2015-04-30-at-4.png
A few weeks ago, you learned how to grow your own ice. You started with an ice cube, but when you poured super-cooled water over it (that is, water that’s been cooled to below the usual freezing point), the ice cube grew before your eyes! If you missed this awesome activity, check it out here:
http://discoveryexpress.weebly.com/blog/fun-with-ice
What actually happens in this activity? When you super-cool water, the water is at a point where it is just about to freeze but is still a liquid. The water wants to freeze, but just needs a little help getting started. That’s why when you pour super-cooled water over ice, it instantly crystallizes!
This week, you get to use the same concepts to create your own slushy. This works with any soda or sports drink. The reason this works with any drink is because you are super-cooling the water inside the drink. The additional flavors and syrups are just along for the ride.
Watch this video for a visual example of what you will be doing:
http://discoveryexpress.weebly.com/blog/fun-with-ice
What actually happens in this activity? When you super-cool water, the water is at a point where it is just about to freeze but is still a liquid. The water wants to freeze, but just needs a little help getting started. That’s why when you pour super-cooled water over ice, it instantly crystallizes!
This week, you get to use the same concepts to create your own slushy. This works with any soda or sports drink. The reason this works with any drink is because you are super-cooling the water inside the drink. The additional flavors and syrups are just along for the ride.
Watch this video for a visual example of what you will be doing:
YOU WILL NEED:
* Glass
* 20 oz. Bottle of soda or sports drink
* Freezer
Here’s what to do!
1. Put a glass in the freezer.
2. Vigorously shake up a 20oz bottle of soda for 30 seconds. Do not remove the cap!
3. Place the bottle horizontally in the freezer.
4. Wait! Leave the soda in the freezer for about 3 hours and 15 minutes. This should be the right amount of time to super-cool your soda but not let it freeze. You may want to check the soda at 2 hours 45 minutes and 3 hours to make sure it doesn’t freeze.
5. At 3 hours and 15 minutes, carefully remove your soda and the empty glass from the freezer. The soda should still look completely liquid at this point.
6. Carefully unscrew the cap and pour the soda into the frosty glass. What happened?! The once-liquid soda should have crystallized into an instant slushy right before your eyes! The cold temperature of the glass should have been just enough to trigger the super-cooled soda to freeze!
Frozen Maple Taffy
* Glass
* 20 oz. Bottle of soda or sports drink
* Freezer
Here’s what to do!
1. Put a glass in the freezer.
2. Vigorously shake up a 20oz bottle of soda for 30 seconds. Do not remove the cap!
3. Place the bottle horizontally in the freezer.
4. Wait! Leave the soda in the freezer for about 3 hours and 15 minutes. This should be the right amount of time to super-cool your soda but not let it freeze. You may want to check the soda at 2 hours 45 minutes and 3 hours to make sure it doesn’t freeze.
5. At 3 hours and 15 minutes, carefully remove your soda and the empty glass from the freezer. The soda should still look completely liquid at this point.
6. Carefully unscrew the cap and pour the soda into the frosty glass. What happened?! The once-liquid soda should have crystallized into an instant slushy right before your eyes! The cold temperature of the glass should have been just enough to trigger the super-cooled soda to freeze!
Frozen Maple Taffy
http://cdn.firstwefeast.com/assets/2014/01/taffy.jpg
This activity works best if there is fresh snow outside. You don’t want to use dirty snow to make your treats!
YOU WILL NEED:
* Maple syrup
* Snow (shaved or crushed ice will work if you don’t have any snow)
* Bowl or pan
* Sauce pan
* Stove
Here’s what to do!
1. Measure 1/2 cup of maple syrup and pour into a sauce pan.
2. Get an adult to help you with this part. Turn the stove to medium heat.
3. Cook the maple syrup for 10-15 minutes until the edges start to boil.
4. Remove the sauce pan from the stove and let the maple syrup mixture cool for at least two minutes.
5. All cooled off? Let’s head outside!
6. Find an area of clean snow. Make sure there are no dirt or debris. Pack the snow into a bowl or pan and bring it inside. If there’s no snow, pack some shaved or crushed ice the same way.
7. Carefully pour a little of your maple syrup mixture onto the snow. What happens? Touch it. Is it still liquid?
8. Your syrup should have hardened into a firm taffy! Continue to pour lines of maple syrup onto the snow to create strips of maple taffy.
9. Once your syrup has cooled and hardened, you’re all done! Enjoy your homemade maple candy!
Make this an experiment: What happens if you only put the syrup on the stove for 5 minutes? What happens if you put the syrup on the stove for longer than 15 minutes? Does stove time or temperature affect the outcome of the candy?
Pop Rock Power
YOU WILL NEED:
* Maple syrup
* Snow (shaved or crushed ice will work if you don’t have any snow)
* Bowl or pan
* Sauce pan
* Stove
Here’s what to do!
1. Measure 1/2 cup of maple syrup and pour into a sauce pan.
2. Get an adult to help you with this part. Turn the stove to medium heat.
3. Cook the maple syrup for 10-15 minutes until the edges start to boil.
4. Remove the sauce pan from the stove and let the maple syrup mixture cool for at least two minutes.
5. All cooled off? Let’s head outside!
6. Find an area of clean snow. Make sure there are no dirt or debris. Pack the snow into a bowl or pan and bring it inside. If there’s no snow, pack some shaved or crushed ice the same way.
7. Carefully pour a little of your maple syrup mixture onto the snow. What happens? Touch it. Is it still liquid?
8. Your syrup should have hardened into a firm taffy! Continue to pour lines of maple syrup onto the snow to create strips of maple taffy.
9. Once your syrup has cooled and hardened, you’re all done! Enjoy your homemade maple candy!
Make this an experiment: What happens if you only put the syrup on the stove for 5 minutes? What happens if you put the syrup on the stove for longer than 15 minutes? Does stove time or temperature affect the outcome of the candy?
Pop Rock Power
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1f/e2/12/1fe212ee55a6c111bf807a79eb60ee74.jpg
What do you think will happen if you put Pop Rocks in a bottle of soda? Make a prediction, because that’s what we are going to find out!
The reason Pop Rocks make that popping sound in your mouth is because they contain little bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. When you put the candy in your mouth, the gas is released! Carbon dioxide is the same gas that makes soda fizzy, or carbonated. Want to know more about how Pop Rocks are made? Read this link for more information you move on with the activity:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question114.htm
YOU WILL NEED:
* Pop Rocks
* 20oz bottle of soda
* Balloon
* Small funnel (optional)
Here’s what to do!
1. Pour a packet of Pop Rocks into the neck of a balloon. (It will be easier to pour if you tear only a small corner of the packet so you can more easily direct the Pop Rocks into the balloon neck, or you could put a small funnel into the balloon to help you.)
2. Remove the cap from a 20oz bottle of soda.
3. With one hand, pinch the balloon neck so the Pop Rocks do not spill out. With the other hand, stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the soda bottle. It may be easier to have a friend help you. Make sure you don’t let the Pop Rocks fall into the soda yet!
4. Release your hand from the balloon and let the Pop Rocks fall into the soda bottle. What do you see?
5. You should see the Pop Rocks bubbling inside the soda, but what happens to the balloon? Slowly, you’ll see your balloon inflate!
6. Remember, Pop Rocks are made with carbon dioxide gas. There are little bubbles of that gas trapped inside the candy. When the candy falls into the soda, that gas is released along with more carbon dioxide gas from the soda. That gas is the reason your balloon is inflating!
Make this activity an experiment: Try different flavors of soda. Do some sodas cause the balloon to inflate more? Vary your amount of Pop Rocks. Do more Pop Rocks inflate the balloon faster? Have fun!
References:
http://www.livescience.com/42371-cold-weather-science-experiments.html
http://www.mamashomestead.com/maple-syrup-snow-candy/
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/poprocks/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T68TvdoSbI
The reason Pop Rocks make that popping sound in your mouth is because they contain little bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. When you put the candy in your mouth, the gas is released! Carbon dioxide is the same gas that makes soda fizzy, or carbonated. Want to know more about how Pop Rocks are made? Read this link for more information you move on with the activity:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question114.htm
YOU WILL NEED:
* Pop Rocks
* 20oz bottle of soda
* Balloon
* Small funnel (optional)
Here’s what to do!
1. Pour a packet of Pop Rocks into the neck of a balloon. (It will be easier to pour if you tear only a small corner of the packet so you can more easily direct the Pop Rocks into the balloon neck, or you could put a small funnel into the balloon to help you.)
2. Remove the cap from a 20oz bottle of soda.
3. With one hand, pinch the balloon neck so the Pop Rocks do not spill out. With the other hand, stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the soda bottle. It may be easier to have a friend help you. Make sure you don’t let the Pop Rocks fall into the soda yet!
4. Release your hand from the balloon and let the Pop Rocks fall into the soda bottle. What do you see?
5. You should see the Pop Rocks bubbling inside the soda, but what happens to the balloon? Slowly, you’ll see your balloon inflate!
6. Remember, Pop Rocks are made with carbon dioxide gas. There are little bubbles of that gas trapped inside the candy. When the candy falls into the soda, that gas is released along with more carbon dioxide gas from the soda. That gas is the reason your balloon is inflating!
Make this activity an experiment: Try different flavors of soda. Do some sodas cause the balloon to inflate more? Vary your amount of Pop Rocks. Do more Pop Rocks inflate the balloon faster? Have fun!
References:
http://www.livescience.com/42371-cold-weather-science-experiments.html
http://www.mamashomestead.com/maple-syrup-snow-candy/
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/poprocks/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T68TvdoSbI
