Science Smarts: You’ve heard of balloon animals, now try them with candy canes

By Patty Rooks on December 14, 2024.

The Holiday Season and shopping are in full swing by now, I am sure. I do not know if you are like me, but this time of the year I purchase WAY too many candy canes and I am not sure what I should do with them all. Well, science of course! Let’s get started.

*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

– Oven

– Baking sheet

– Wire rack for cooling

– Candy canes

– Aluminum foil

– Adult helper

Procedure

1. You will need an adult helper with this experiment because you are using the oven.

2. Preheat the oven to 250°C (400°F).

3. Place several sheets of aluminum foil on the baking sheet (otherwise it will be DIFFICULT to clean once you are finished.

4. Arrange as many candy canes on the baking sheet as you would like.

5. Place the baking sheet in the oven.

6. Set the timer for 10 minutes.

7. Have the adult helper remove the baking sheet from the oven.

8. It is time to experiment – have the adult test the candy canes to ensure they are NOT too hot to touch – you may have to wait a few minutes.

9. Once they are cool enough to touch, begin to bend them into different shapes.

10. Make observations. Can you twist and bend them? How about tie them in a knot? Try making some shapes to hang up and decorate with.

11. Why can you do this?

What is going on?

When you heat up the candy canes in the oven, you are allowing the molecules to start to move around. Not to mention, the candy structure is special in comparison to others.

For instance, the molecules in them do not change form like an ice cube when it is heated up. Instead of changing form (from a solid to a liquid in ice/water), the molecules are more jumbled up and the candy becomes pliable instead of melting into a liquid.

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. Address: 12 826 11th Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403-527-5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

26
-25