Science Smarts: Dancing candy canes

By PATTY ROOKS on December 23, 2021.

I hope everyone is ready for the holidays. My philosophy is, if not, no one will ever notice, just relax and enjoy!

If you are anything like me though, you likely overbought some things… as I look around; I have an ABUNDANCE of candy canes, so thought I had better find a way to use them up than with science. Let’s get started!

Remember to ask an adult before dong this experiment.

Materials

• Candy canes

• Tall clear jar or glass

• Vinegar

• Water

• Baking soda

• Measuring spoons

• Measuring cups

• Spoon

• Empty bowl

Procedure

• Unwrap and couple of candy canes (use as many as you desire). Place the candy canes in the bowl and crush them gently with the back of a spoon. Do not crush them up into a powder; you want some nice large pieces still.

• Measure one cup (250 mL) of water and pour it into the clear jar.

• Add ½ cup (125 mL) of vinegar).

• Measure one tablespoon (15 mL) of baking soda. Stir this well.

• Watch what happens.

• Sprinkle in a few of the candy cane pieces.

• Observe.

What is going on?

Baking soda and vinegar react when mixed together and form a gas called carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide bubbles are what you see floating around in the bowl during this reaction. As the carbon dioxide molecules touch the candy cane, they begin to build up and attach to the surface. This combination of carbon dioxide and candy cane is less dense than the candy cane by itself. As a result, when so many bubbles form on the candy cane, they lift the candy canes up to the surface of the bowl. When some of the bubbles break, the density increases so the candy canes float back down to the bottom of the bowl and the whole entire process is repeated over and over again!

There are so many bubbles floating up and down at one time that they push the candy cane pieces around making them look like they are dancing around in the liquid.

Try making this into a science fair project by manipulating different variables – what happens if you use different amounts of vinegar, or baking soda. How long can you make the candy pieces dance around for?

From everyone at Praxis Science Outreach Society we wish you a safe and HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Patty Rooks, Senior Scientific Consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community”. Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. We are located at #12 826 11 Street S. E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403.527.5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

28
-27