Pop Rocks candy (The World Market)
water
pipettes/medicine dropper (available at pharmacies)
Zip Loc bag
Dixie cup
Concept: At the candy factory for Pop Rocks the candy is processed with the gas carbon dioxide. When your saliva or water (for Zip Loc/Dixie cup) dissolves the sugar in the candy the gas is released and pops!
Procedure: Have students pinch Pop Rocks into a Ziploc bag, add some drops of water, seal bag and observe. Next have children conduct same experiment, but place Pop Rocks in a Dixie cup. Compare both experiments. Does, sealing the Ziploc bag cause a different reaction? Lastly, have your students place Pop Rocks and mouth and discover how saliva affects Pop Rocks.
Extension: Use different liquids to dissolve Pop Rocks (vinegar, peroxide, soda, milk) and compare reactions.
Application to the Real World: Carbon Dioxide is used in the food, oil and chemical industry. Carbon Dioxide creates the carbonation in Soda. Dry Ice is also frozen carbon dioxide.
