What would happen if gummy bears met potassium chloride?

Gummy Bears

 Potassium chlorate

Well today we have an interesting experiment which is kind of "burn" the lab. Do not worry. The lab still there but it is in such a mess. Carbon dioxide gas here and there!

Today, those Form 1 till Form 5 members were joining us. We have a combined session for this experiment. Besides carrying out the experiment, we also have the responsibilities to take care of those small kids~ Members are grouped into 3 in one group. Its random combination among members.

Before we start doing anything

Lets us don't waste out time. Lets get started! 

Apparatus and materials that is needed:

-GUMMY BEARS (our main material. Not for us to eat)

-Potassium chlorate, KClO3

-Boiling tube

-Retort stand and clamp

-Bunsen burner

Two spoon of potassium chlorate is put in the boiling tube. Then, the boiling tube filled with potassium chlorate is clamp to the retort stand in 45 degrees. Then it is burn using Bunsen burner to melt the potassium chlorate. 

Boiling tube clamped in 45 degrees and it is Bunsen burner used to heat the potassium chlorate

Heating is continued until the potassium chlorate turn into molten state. Then the Bunsen burner is removed and its time to put GUMMY BEAR into the molten potassium chlorate. BOOM~ reaction occur.

 And you will see this

 Gummy bear burned

 The lab which is full of carbon dioxide released by the reaction

Explanation for the experiment:

Molten potassium chlorate is a strong oxidising agent that reacts violently with sugar containing gummy bear that have a lot of sugar in them.

A gummy bear is mostly sugar, which is easily oxidised by something like molten potassium chlorate.

Overall, it is a simple oxidation and reduction

C6H12O6 + 6O2 ---> 6CO2 + 6H2O

Carbon goes from an oxidation state of zero to +4 while oxygen O2 is reduced from zero to an oxidation state of -2. 

When heated, potassium chlorate break up to form potassium chloride and oxygen.

2KClO3 (s) ----> 2KCl (s) + 3O2 (g)

When mixed with sucrose, it causes the oxidation and reduction reaction that release carbon dioxide and water while precipitating potassium chloride salt.

C12H22O11 (s) + 3O2 (g) ---> 9C (s) +3CO2 (g) +11H2O (l)

That's all for the day. The lab were really filled with carbon dioxide due to the oxidation and reduction reaction. 

There will be more interesting experiments in the future. Stay tuned.

Shiuan Yih.