Sweet and Sour Halloween Science: Frankenworms

 - by KitchenPantryScientist

I’m re-posting this experiment that the kids and I created back in Oct. 2011. It’s been a huge hit and is all over the internet these days. The most important thing to remember is to cut the gummy worms into really, really skinny strips, so they’re light enough to be lifted by the carbon dioxide bubble you make! *Some brands of gummy worms don’t work as well as others. If your worms won’t wiggle, coat them with baking soda powder and put them in the vinegar! 

Frankenworms- image from Kitchen Science Lab for Kids (Liz Lee Heinecke/Quarry Books)

Frankenworms- image from Kitchen Science Lab for Kids (Liz Lee Heinecke/Quarry Books)

A chemical reaction happens when you mix two or more things together to make something new.

Mixing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and acetic acid (vinegar) together produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles, which can make gummy worms which have been cut into very thin strips squirm and float! My kids created this experiment a few years ago! Can you think of an experiment you could do with candy? 
To make Frankenworms:

1. Cut gummy worms into skinny, skinny long strips (may require adult assistance.)

2. Soak the worms in a bowl of water with a few tablespoons of baking soda mixed in for around 20-30 minutes.

3. Drop the baking-soda infused worms into a large, clear glass or jar full of white vinegar and watch them come to “life.”

Image from Kitchen Science Lab for Kids (Liz Lee Heinecke/Quarry Books 2014)

Image from Kitchen Science Lab for Kids (Liz Lee Heinecke/Quarry Books 2014)

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