gummy bear sugar water experiment

Gummy Bear Experiment

Osmosis can be a difficult concept for kids to understand. I’ve always found that visual explanations really hit home with kids and help them to understand. Today we have a growing gummy bear experiment that is a perfect compliment to our Gummy Mummy experiment that explores the science of desiccation and diffusion. Because gummy bears are made of gelatin they will not dissolve in water like other candy will. They will however absorb liquids and change in shape and size. We’ve set up an experiment with four different liquids to see the difference in how the gummy bears are able to absorb each and how they change over the course of the day.

Great Growing Gummies – Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment

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What is Osmosis?

Scientifically, Osmosis is when solvent molecules (usually water) cross a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. This creates equilibrium between the solute and solvent, balancing the concentration of solutes on both sides of the membrane. Osmosis is a passive process in that it requires no energy from the cell to occur.

Now – that’s a lot of big words and concepts so let’s break down that vocabulary:

Solvent : substance able to dissolve other substances. Solute : a dissolved substance Membrane : a thin, soft flexible sheet or layer especially of a plant or animal part Semi-Permeable Membrane : a membrane that only allows certain substances to pass through. Concentration : the amount of a component in a given substance. Equilibrium : a state of adjustment between opposing or divergent influences or elements

Gummy Bear Osmosis Lab

Gummy Bears Small Clear Bowls or Jars Water Sparkling Water White Vinegar Oil

I like to start this in the morning so you can check on it throughout the day and see the changes in the gummy bears.

STEP 1: Lay out four bowls on the table and put a gummy bear in each bowl. Then beside each bowl put another gummy bear of the same color so you can compare the two easily over the course of the day.

STEP 2: Measure equal amounts of each of your solvents. We used a quarter of a cup of water, sparkling water, white vinegar and oil and poured them over the gummy bears in the bowl.

STEP 3: This is a great time to have a discussion about osmosis and have your kids make predictions about what they think is going to happen in each bowl and why. What effect might each substance have on the gummy bear? Have the kids write down their predictions.

STEP 4: Set a timer for an hour and let the bears do their thing.

STEP 5: Check back each hour for the rest of the day and write down observations over the course of the day.

Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment Results

Now the exciting part… the results of our experiment! Let’s take a look at the results individually first.

When gummy bears are soaked in water the bear will swell and grow in size. This is because the water will flow into the gummy bear through its semi-permeable membrane. The sugar molecules try to spread and dissolve but they can’t get out of the gelatin so they expand resulting in the gummy bear expanding.

Sparkling Water

Will have a similar result to water. The only difference is that the addition of carbon dioxide to the water can have an acidic effect on the bears which would cause the outside to soften allowing more water to be able to pass through the bear and it swells up more. You will also be able to observe the carbon dioxide bubble sticking to the outside of the bear.

White Vinegar

White Vinegar will have an acidic reaction with the gummy bear softening the outside of it, however the liquid is not as easily absorbed into the bear as water so the gummy may get softer but will not change in size as much as the bears soaked in water.

Because oil is polar it doesn’t mix well with water or other substances. The oil will have very little effect on the bears and you will not see much change if any at all. This gummy bear will also retain its color the best because the oil isn’t breaking down the bear or being absorbed into it so the structure and color will remain the same.

Comparing the Results

The most fascinating part of this experiment is comparing the results of the different solvents. Set the gummy bears out side by side with their controls so you can visually see the differences.

To get really scientific with your results, which is perfect for your older kids or kids needing more of a challenge, have them weigh and measure the gummies and compare results with the controls and each other.

You can also dissect the gummy bears and view them under a microscope to look for microscopic changes.

Extension Ideas

I think your kids will love this Gummy Bear Lab experiment on Osmosis! Encourage your students to get creative and add other variations like adding things like salt or baking soda to the water to see if it changes the results. Or try other solvents.

Want more osmosis experiments? Try this Rainbow Water Beads Experiment or the Bouncy Egg Experiment which involves a chemical reaction and osmosis.

Want more gummy science? Check out our Gummy Mummies . Or make your own gummies! You can check out these recipes on the site: Valentine’s Day Gummies , Star Wars Gummies , Rainbow Dragon Egg Gummies .

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Science Project Ideas

Gummy Bear Experiment

The gummy bear experiment is a fun activity that teaches the basic concept of osmosis to the little ones in an easy manner. They will also be thrilled at the idea that their favorite gummy bears could teach them a lesson or two in science.

Gummy Bear Science Project Instructions

Hypothesis for growing/shrinking gummy bears.

When a gummy bear is placed in a hypotonic solution (e.g. water) then it will increase in mass and volume. On the other hand, its mass and volume decrease when placed in a hypertonic solution (e.g. salt water). Hypertonic refers to a higher concentration of solutes and hypotonic is just the reverse.

Things Needed

• Physical balance or digital weighing machine
• Sieve, plastic fork or screen
• Graph paper
• Measure the dimensions (length, breadth and height) of the bear with a scale. Measure its mass with the balance.
• Fill the bowl with water.
• Completely immerse the gummy bear in the water.
• Let the bowl sit overnight in a place away from direct sunlight.
• Next day, lift the bear from the water with a plastic fork, sieve or screen.
• Record the dimensions and mass of the bear again.
• Do the same observation each day for a couple of days more.
• Plot a graph with the time in hours along the X-axis (the dependent variable) and the mass or weight of the gummy bear along the Y-axis (independent variable). Check the nature of the graph.

Things You Can Try

• Set up a series of bowls on the table and fill them with different solutions like that of baking soda, vinegar, salt, distilled water, etc. Make similar observations as above for each one of them. Compare your results.
• Also, check if the taste and/or color of the bears have changed.

Gummy Bear Osmosis Video

How does it work.

The ingredients of gummy bears are sugar, water, and gelatin, with little water content. Due to the process of osmosis, i.e., the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high concentration to that of a lower concentration, the bear starts to grow. However, it doesn’t get dissolved as the gelatin is insoluble in water.

On trying out the different ideas, you will find that the degree of expansion of the candy depends on the liquid on which it is kept. However, vinegar, which is actually an acid, can dissolve the candy .

This simple trick can prove to be a cool science fair idea. The kids will be enthralled to display their knowledge to the audience in a fun way.

References:

https://biozone.weebly.com/uploads/2/7/4/2/274298/gummy_bear_osmosis.pdf

https://tinkerlab.com/incredible-growing-gummy-bears/

https://www.childrensmuseum.org/blog/saturday-science-growing-gummy-bears

https://www.homeschool.com/blog/index.php/2014/04/homeschool-science-gummy-bear-osmosis/

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• 3 gummy bears
• 2 drinking glasses
• Refrigerator
• Something to heat water with (for example a microwave oven or a kettle)

Short explanation

Long explanation.

• How big will a gummy bear be after 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hours in water?
• Does it matter if you cover the glass or not?
• Is it possible to shrink a swollen gummy bear completely down to its former size again?
• What other things swell in water?
• What other things shrink in sugar water?

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Home » Free Homeschooling » Gummy Bear Osmosis

Gummy Bear Osmosis

Check out our FUN Gummy Bear Osmosis experiment!

This is a simple and fun experiment for children 12 and under (and their moms).

A quick safety note: 

Don’t let your kids eat the gummy bears after they’ve soaked in the various solutions. The ones in baking soda and vinegar will taste awful, and they will all contain bacteria as your kids will be handling them and then putting them back in the fluids.

AND, if you have a cat like we do, the cat might lick from the containers and/or drop a hair or two among the various solutions.

BTW – because of our cat, I did talk about the importance of strict scientific procedures and how data can be contaminated.  My kids know that our experiment was more of a fun experiment – and that some contamination undoubtedly occurred.

Just a thought – you might want to buy TWO bags of gummy bears – one for the experiment and one for nibbling.

_____________________________________________________________________

Some educational info before you start (so you can explain the science to your kids):

Most sugary candy dissolves in water.  In fact, you might want to try this experiment first, so your kids understand that this is true.

Gummy bears are an exception – they don’t dissolve in water .  This is because they’re made with gelatin . When gummy bears are made, gelatin and water are heated and mixed (like when you make gelatin at home). As the mixture cools, water leaves the candy  and the candy hardens and becomes gummy/chewy.

When you put a gummy bear in water, it is a solute , and the water molecules are a solvent. Since the gummy bear does not contain water (remember, the water was removed when the gummy bear was made), water now moves into the bear by the process of osmosis . Osmosis is the process whereby water moves from a greater concentration of water to a lower concentration of water (from a container of water to the candy bear).

Also, gummy bears have a semi-permeable membrane – their surface has holes in it and these holes allow small, non-charged particles like water in, but don’t let larger particles (like sugar) out.

At the beginning of the experiment, there is less water and more gelatin inside each gummy bear. As time passes, this changes, as the gelatin makes the gummy bear act like a sponge, absorbing water rather than being dissolved in it (like other candies).

Try the  Gummy Bear Osmosis  experiment and see what happens!

_______________________________________________________________

This Gummy Bear Osmosis experiment takes less than an hour to set up, but the actual experiment runs for 48 hours.

Materials You Need for the Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment

• Gummy Bears
• A glass container for each liquid/solution
• One tablespoon of salt
• A tablespoon of sugar
• One tablespoon of baking soda
• Kitchen scale
• Paper towels
• Clock or timer
• Gummy Bear Experiment Sheet (included at the end of this post, although the spacing is slightly different)
• Gummy Bear Scientific Data Table (included at the bottom of this post)

Instructions for the Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment

• Label each glass with its contents: water, salt water, sugar water, etc.
• Fill the glass labeled water with one-half cup plain water.
• Fill the glass labeled salt water with one-half cup water. Thoroughly mix in one tablespoon of salt (make sure all the salt is dissolved).
• Fill the glass labeled sugar water with one-half cup water. Thoroughly mix in one tablespoon of sugar (again, make sure all the sugar is dissolved).
• Fill the glass labeled baking soda water with one-half cup water and thoroughly mix in one tablespoon of baking soda.
• Fill the other containers with their respective liquids.
• Select a gummy bear for each glass.
• Measure the length, height and width of each gummy bear, weigh each gummy bear and write this info on the Gummy Bear Scientific Data Table.  If your scale isn’t able to weigh just one gummy bear you can still do this experiment. Visually, your kids will be able to see the difference in the bears pre- and post-experiment.
• Check – and write down the time.
• Now, add a gummy bear to each glass.
• Wait 12 hours.
• Remove the gummy bears from their respective glasses.
• Let your kids ooh and ahh and talk about the differences in the bears.
• Now, measure and if you can,weigh each bear. Use the Gummy Bear Scientific Data Table to write down your results.
• Put the gummy bears back in their solutions.
• Check back after 24 hours and again measure and weigh each gummy bear.  Again, give your kids plenty of time to talk about the results.
• Again, put the gummy bears back in their glasses.
• Check back after 48 hours, measure and weigh each gummy bear. Use the Gummy Bear Scientific Data Table to write down your results.

What did you discover?  Did your gummy bears GROW – by A LOT!?! Which gummy bears grew the most, without losing shape?

Explain scientifically what happened., check out our experiment below., this is the beginning of it..

(our cat lost interest quickly)

Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment – After 12 hours

Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment – After 24 hours

Our water gummy bear has lost part of its leg!  And I can clearly see gummy particles in some of the water solutions.

But our vinegar gummy bear isn’t a blob yet, and I’ve heard that’s what happens. I’m getting a little worried – did we do something wrong?

Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment – After 48 hours

A lot of the gummy bears are falling apart after 48 hours!  I originally planned to check again after 72 hours – but they just won’t make it!  The vinegar gummy is a blob (yeah!), and the water and soda gummy bears are literally falling apart. This gummy bear osmosis experiment was so much fun for the kids!

From http://mirada.oursciencefair.com/SchoolHome.aspx

I’ve included the forms I used below – in case you’d like to use them ____________________________________________________________________________

GUMMY BEAR SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Gummy bear osmosis.

TAP WATER                                                                                                            

DISTILLED WATER

SALT WATER                                                                                                         

BAKING SODA WATER

SUGAR WATER                                                                                                     

SODA                                                                                                                        

_____________________________________________________________

Scientific Data Table

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Gummy bear osmosis

Follow FizzicsEd 150 Science Experiments:

You will need:

• A packet of gummy bears
• At least two bowls
• Optional; sugar, stopwatch and either measuring scales or a ruler

• Instruction

Pour the same amount of water into each of your bowls. You’ll want enough water to be able to immerse your gummy bears in this activity.

Add salt to one of your bowls of water and leave the other with just plain water. You could also make another bowl with sugar added to it too as an extra experimental test.

Place a gummy bear into each of the bowls. Keep a gummy bear aside as a control for measuring against later. Now it’s time to wait!

Over time you’ll find that one of your gummy bears will start to swell. How big can the gummy bear get? That’s up to you to find out!

Look at the difference! Do you know why this worked? Read below!

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What is happening?

The gummy bear experiment is all about osmosis. This is the process where water will move into areas where there is less water, i.e. from a dilute solution to a more concentrated solution. The gummy bear is semi-permeable to water (i.e it can let water molecules into it but not larger molecules), which means the water was able to move into the gummy bear.

This process happened much faster when the gummy bear was in pure water, as the water concentration difference between pure water and the gummy bear was the greatest. The gummy bear in the saltwater didn’t swell as quickly as the water concentration difference between the saltwater and the gummy bear was less different. We call this difference a concentration gradient. The gummy bear in the saltwater didn’t get as large either as the water stopped moving into the gummy bear once the water concentration in the gummy bear and the saltwater became the same.

Application

Within your body, the cell membrane controls what enters and leaves your cells using osmosis. The different concentrations of sugar, proteins, DNA, and water between the inside and outside of the cell allow for the materials to flow in and out of the cell. But unlike our gummy bears, which are semi-permeable, our cells are selectively permeable; meaning that this process only allows specific material to enter and exit the cell membrane.

Variables to test

• Try differing amounts of salt or sugar in the water. Can you predict the change in size as the salt or sugar concentration in the water increases?
• What happens if you try hot, warm and cold water?
• Does the colour of the gummy bear matter?

More on variable testing here

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19 thoughts on “ Gummy bear osmosis ”

Like the one on Osmosis and sinking the boat. Simple and easy for Content Language Integrated Learning in elementary school of Taiwan.

We’re glad that you enjoyed these experiments Joseph! There are over 150 free experiments on this site , all designed for elementary students using simple materials. Lots to do for curious minds!

Hi, I did this with a Yr 5 class. I am a casual teacher and there was no work left so as part of the day we did this. It does require a bit of time to set up and sit. We started in the middle session and looked at the results at the end of the day. We did instructional writing (Literacy), we measure the gummi bears before and after in cms (Measurement), we looked compared sizes before and after and engaged in scientific thinking on what else we could test this way. We had a wonderful time making predictions and then the students put the gummi bears back into the solutions to see what would happen overnight. In between other activities, this experiment kept the student focus throughout the day. Thank you Fizzics!

That’s fantastic to hear Katherine! We love that science can be used for multiple student outcomes and this is certainly a great experiment to watch over time. Love it 🙂

Glad you liked this science activity!

Good experiments to start basic chemistry ideas for my grandson.

That’s great to hear Sharon! We’re glad that you have found these free experiments useful for your family 🙂

What would happen if sugar was used instead of salt? Why would it Expand or Decrease size?

Try it out! This experiment is about water moving from higher concentration of water to lower concentration of water. Adding salt or sugar to the water still should change the water’s movement. Let us know the results!

Would this be good for a science fair

Sure would! Let us know how you go 🙂

This website helped me deffenitily

We’re glad it did, thanks for using it!

This website helped me alot for my science fair

That’s awesome, thanks for using it!

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