Gummi Bears - Day 2

Today started with reviewing the dimensional analysis homework. We discussed how to think about it and how to get started even if you aren't sure what to do. The jump in for the day was a math challenge to see how everyone was doing (and to make some students realize that they may need to focus). Congratulations to Katelyn (did I pick the right one) for being the only person to get all ten of the challenge questions correct. Rock on!

Then it was time to check on the gummi bears. The gummi bears had been sitting in water for 24 hours by this time and it was time to see how that time affected them. Some students hypothesized that the bears would dissolve; others that they would grow even bigger. Even though students made a hypothesis, I don't think they were prepared for the slimy jiggly monstrosities that awaited them.

The students and I realized that the bears had grown in size, but it wasn't that apparent until you compared them side by side. Here is Angie's giant yellow gummi bear compared to a normal sized red gummi bear.

Because the bears were bigger and slimier they were a little bit harder to work with. Students still had to take length, height, width, and mass measurements so they could scientifically and quantitatively measure the difference between the original gummi bear and the giant swollen gummi bears. Tayler measured her bear and like most found that it was now about 10 grams - more than 7 grams of gained weight.

Kyle was absent and I was going to measure his bear for him, but his group decided that it would be better to take the experiment a little bit further and see what happens to a gummi bear after 48 hours! Justin wanted to see if his bear would shrink back to normal so his bear (minus the water) is sitting out to dry. Hooray for science inquiry!