Help the kids make scientific discoveries at home with candy. With a little hot water, you can make these Pop Rocks really pop!
Time: 10 minutes
Skill level: Get a grown-up
Supplies
Pop Rocks
Hot water (about 140º F)
A clear bottle with a narrow top, such as a water bottle with a flat bottom, a clear drinking glass, or a microwave-safe bowl (alternative method)
Safety glasses
Directions
1. Pour about a tablespoon of hot water into the bottle or glass. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the container. (If you use too much water, the experiment won’t work.)
2. If you’re using a drinking glass or bowl (instead of a bottle), put on the safety glasses.
3. Pour in some Pop Rocks and see if any jump!
Alternative:
Heat a little bit of water in a microwave-safe bowl, then pour out almost all of the water. (The bowl will keep the remaining water hot.) Put on safety glasses, and then pour in the Pop Rocks.
What’s happening:
Pop Rocks are full of tiny trapped bubbles of carbon dioxide. The hot water dissolves the candy so fast that the air bubbles explode, making the Pop Rocks shoot up like popcorn.
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Find more experiments and science fair ideas in the book, Candy Experiments 2 by Loralee Leavitt/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.
