Spirited Essence Works

Two Christmas Science Projects below to bring Christmas cheer and promote learning. Try them out with your family this weekend.

Candy Cane Experiment:

You will test what will dissolve a Candy Cane by using hot water, cold water, salt water, and vinegar. Have the kids put their hypothesis in before the start of the project. Set candy canes in solution and wait 10 mins. After 10 minutes see the results. The hot water should have dissolved the most. Water molecules have magnetic properties which break apart the sugar molecules when the candy cane is set in water. Hot water breaks them faster than cold water due to the energy produced by the water being heated. Cold water and vinegar are the next for the most breakdown. The acetic acid in vinegar breaks down the sugar but at a slower rate. Salt water does the least break down. The salt and sugar molecules in the water are competing with the sucrose from the candy cane for the water molecules. As a result, not as many sugar molecules from the candy cane are able to separate and reattach to the water molecules.

Flying Reindeer Project:

We are testing Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, which is for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Make your reindeers out of paper or a toilet paper roll. Tape a straw on the top of the toilet paper roll. Draw a string across, pull string through straw. Make sure that the string is taut. Tape a blown up balloon to the toilet paper roll, but just pinch the end do not tie the balloon. Let go of the balloon and watch your reindeer fly. Your flying reindeer demonstrates Newton’s 3rd Law. As the air rushes out of the balloon in one direction it pushed the reindeer in the opposite direction with equal force.

Happy Learning! Hope you are having a fantastic Holiday Season! For more science projects or elf on the shelf ideas, follow by blog or my Instagram, @leslielarch.