From: SFPhysics@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:26:31 EDT
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
Subject: Re: Exploding Gummy Bears
Yes, you can get gummy bears to do a spectacular combustion reaction in a test
tube with a heated/melted oxidizer. I would not recommend it unless suitable
safety precautions are taken. It has two interesting effects whenever we do
it in Mission High School: 1) Done in the dark the test tube has bursts of
great color until the flame gets going for several inches out of the neck of
the tube; and, 2) the fire alarm invariably goes off for the whole school from
our smoke detectors. I am not sure you would want to include this in a gummy
bear activities book that would be given to non-science (i.e.: 3rd grade)
teachers. The reaction IS energetic.....
Al Sefl
SFPhysics@aol.com