jelly baby osmosis experiment

• 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 » Articles » STEM » STEM Science » Gummy Bears Osmosis Experiment

Gummy Bears Osmosis Experiment

Today we will combine two fun activities from our childhood: eating gummy bears and learning about osmosis just kidding about osmosis being fun, back then it was a hard concept to grasp. but in today’s experiment, we will show you how to learn this important concept in a fun and easy way, article contents.

What is Osmosis?

Osmosis is defined as the movement of water molecules from a solution with a higher concentration of water molecules to a solution with a lower concentration of water molecules, through a cell’s semipermeable (partially permeable) membrane . What do we mean by the concentration of water? It’s the proportion of the water in a solution. Let’s talk about that next.

Solvent, Solute, and Solution

Speaking about Osmosis, you will probably often hear about solvent, solute, and solution. So let’s see what they are.

A solvent is any substance that dissolves other substances that we put in it. The most common solvent is water . We know that if we, for example, add sugar to the water, it will dissolve. This is important since, in our organism, water dissolves ions and proteins in our cells.

On the other hand, in our example above, the sugar would be a solute . The solute is a substance dissolved in another substance. So, sugar (solute) dissolves in water (solvent).

And the product we get is called a solution . Solutions can have different concentrations , depending on how much solute we dissolve in a solvent. If we add more sugar to the water, it will be sweeter and denser, more concentrated. However, this solution will now have a lower concentration of water molecules, since there are other things (sugar) in as well.

To summarise – when sugar (solute) dissolves in water (solvent) we get a mixture of water and sugar (solution) .

What is Semi-Permeable Membrane?

Think of the membrane as a wall with gaps (it’s semipermeable!). When solutions on both sides of the wall have the same concentration, nothing interesting happens – there is an equal probability water molecules will move from each side of the wall so in the end concentration will stay the same.

However, if we change the balance on one side of the wall, for example, add salt to one side – water molecules will now move from the place where there are more of them (ordinary water) to a place where there are fewer of them (salted water).

This state of different concentrations is also called osmotic pressure and therefore the amount of liquid will increase on the side with more salt, and decrease on the side where the salt concentration is lower until the osmotic pressure is equalized. The goal is to reach equilibrium, a state where concentrations are the same on both sides.

Here, we have 2 explanations of the process:

• The Mechanical explanation is that molecules of salt are blocking the movement of the water molecules so they are less likely to move from that side. 
• The Chemical explanation is that salt molecules consist of ions – Na+ and Cl-. Since water molecules are also partially charged they are attracted to salt molecules and therefore don’t move through the membrane.

Why Is Osmosis Important?

Osmosis is essential for the survival of all living organisms . It allows nutrients and minerals to move inside the cells, through the cell membrane, and also for waste to move out of the cells. For example, plants absorb water from the earth through the process of osmosis.

Try to remember the last time you ate something salty, such as chips. You must have been very thirsty afterward. This is because salt prevents water from passing into the cell through the semipermeable membrane and no matter how much you drink, it is difficult to quench your thirst.

Let’s go now and demonstrate the osmosis process in a simple way using gummy bear candies and different solutions.

Materials needed for the Gummy Bear Experiment

• Gummy bears (gummy candies) . You can buy gummy candy in any grocery shop. We have used Haribo gummy bears and they worked well for our experiment. It is not important which gummy candy you use, but we have got reports that some types/brands of gummy candy won’t work well and will just dissolve. Best to have at least 4 gummy bears to make easy comparisons of all experimental results and the original gummy bear.
• Water . 2 deciliters of water will be enough. We will add 1 deciliter to 2 of our glasses. 
• Salt . One tablespoon of salt will be enough to act as a solvent and create a concentrated solution.
• Vinegar . We will need 1 deciliter of vinegar to serve us as the second solution and we will add it to the last glass.
• 3 glasses . Since we will have 3 experimental groups, we will need 3 glasses. In the first glass, we will add pure water. In the second glass, we will add water and salt. And in the third glass, we will add vinegar.

Instructions for making Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment

Check the video at the beginning of the article to see how to conduct this experiment. As mentioned in the required materials section, we used three types of solvent (water, salted water, and vinegar) but you can experiment with any type of solvent.

• Prepare 4 gummy bears (one for every type of solvent, +1 for comparison). Gummy bears are excellent for this experiment because they are made out of sugar, water, and gelatine. Gelatine doesn’t dissolve in water, but it allows water to pass through so it functions as a semipermeable membrane.
• Prepare your solvents. Put pure water in one glass, water with a big spoon of salt into the second glass, and vinegar into the third glass. 1 deciliter of liquid in each glass will be more than enough. You can also experiment with different mixtures, like oil, milk, or soda to see what will happen.
• Put 1 gummy bear into each solution . Leave one gummy bear on the side so you can compare afterward. Leave the gummy bears inside their solutions for a few hours. Check every 3 hours to see the changes.

Results of the osmosis experiment

• After 9 hours, we observed that the gummy bear left in pure water got much bigger than in the other solutions. The water went in! There is just a little bit of water in the gummy bear, so there was big osmotic pressure.
• Gummy bear in salted water got just a little bit bigger . Osmosis at work! Salted water had a lower concentration of water than the pure one, so in this situation, less water went into the gummy bear.
• In vinegar, the gummy bear got bigger , but it also started to fall apart, and that’s because of the acid in vinegar which can dissolve the gelatine.

What kind of solutions did you use and what are the results? Tell us all about your experiment in the comments!

What will you develop and learn?

• Knowledge from chemistry and biology . Osmosis, semipermeable membrane, solutions, etc., all play a big role in the functioning of living organisms. Talking about them will help us in better understanding what is happening on the cell level.
• What is osmosis and how does it work. Without osmosis, there would not be life. So understanding osmosis is important to understand biology.
• Scientific method and conducting experiments. Here, we conducted a scientific experiment with 3 experimental variables (water, salted water, vinegar) and a control variable (gummy bear that we didn’t put into any solution). This enabled us to control every aspect that could influence the outcome of the experiment.
• Learning by doing . We best learn through experience, and here, we conduct our own experiments. So new knowledge while having fun is guaranteed!

We hope you too were enjoying this experiment. If you are in the mood for more great activities, we have some to recommend.

• If you are interested in learning about defusion, a similar process to osmosis, then you can check How to demonstrate diffusion with hot and cold water article.
• We also recommend learning about oxidation and how oxygen reacts with electrons in the Apple oxidation experiment .
• If you are interested in making your own sweet candy, you can learn How to make homemade sugar crystals (Rock Candy) .
• And finally, if you are interested in learning about polarity, the chemical property of atoms, you can learn about it in a simple but fun Colorful milk polarity experiment .

Happy experimenting!

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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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Science Behind the Experiment

What is the scientific background of the Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment?

The Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment explores the scientific concept of osmosis, which is the movement of solvent molecules (usually water) through a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. Osmosis plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including the regulation of water balance in cells and living organisms.

What is a semi-permeable membrane, and how does it relate to the experiment?

A semi-permeable membrane is a barrier that allows certain molecules to pass through while blocking others based on their size, charge, or solubility. In the Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment, the gummy bears act as the semi-permeable membrane. The gelatin in gummy bears allows water molecules to move in and out, while restricting larger solute molecules like salt.

What happens to the gummy bears during the experiment?

Over time, the gummy bears in the saltwater container will experience osmosis. Water molecules move from the gummy bear into the saltwater due to the higher solute concentration in the saltwater. As a result, the gummy bear shrinks or loses its size and volume.

What happens to the gummy bears in plain water?

The gummy bears in pl ain water also undergo osmosis, but in the opposite direction. Water molecules move into the gummy bear from the plain water, causing the gummy bear to swell or increase in size and volume.

What are the practical applications of understanding osmosis?

Understanding osmosis is vital in various scientific fields. In biology and physiology, osmosis plays a role in cell function and water balance within living organisms. In food science, osmosis is involved in processes like brining and pickling to preserve and flavor food items.

What You Will Learn

Are you ready to uncover the fascinating world of gummy bears and how they behave with water? In our Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment, we'll discover a super cool process called osmosis. We'll place gummy bears in two different liquids - plain water and salty water - and see what happens!

Download the PDF version

-Gummy Bears -Two bowls -Water

Gather the materials you'll need for the experiment. You'll need gummy bears, two small bowls or cups, and water.

Place one gummy bear in each bowl or cup. Fill one bowl with plain water and the other with a solution of saltwater (mix water and salt together).

Let the gummy bears sit in the water and saltwater for several hours or overnight. During this time, the gummy bears will absorb the water through osmosis.

After the waiting period, take out the gummy bears and compare them. Observe any changes in size, texture, or appearance between the gummy bear in plain water and the one in saltwater. Discuss your findings and learn about osmosis!

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Stay-at-home science project: Enlarge gummy bears to reveal the secrets of osmosis

By Rachel Feltman

Posted on May 4, 2020 4:00 PM EDT

Welcome to PopSci’s at-home science projects series . On weekdays at noon, we’ll be posting new projects that use ingredients you can buy at the grocery store. Show us how it went by tagging your project on social media using #popsciprojects.

Gummy bears are delicious. That’s not up for debate (though you’re welcome to eat a few to prove the hypothesis). But they’re also the perfect critters to help demonstrate a process that makes life as we know it possible: Osmosis.

Believe it or not, osmosis also happens when you drop gummy bears into water, revealing the most basic inner workings of your body’s cells. Just add water and a spoonful of salt to see it happen before your eyes.

• Time: 5 minutes of prep, and 3 to 9 hours of waiting
• Difficulty: easy

What you’ll need

• Gummy bears, preferably dark in color
• Three small bowls
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• (Optional) Ruler
• (Optional) Kitchen scale

Instructions

1. Fill two of your bowls with cool water. Room temperature is fine, but keep away from hot water—it’ll melt your gummy bears.

2. Add the salt to the first bowl. The second should just contain water.

3. Plop one gummy bear into each bowl. Make sure they’re fully submerged. Leave the bowls somewhere they won’t be disturbed. Gummy bears are tempting—even when they’re salty and soggy!

• Note : We tried different types of gummies (including the sour kind coated with mouth-puckering crystals), and we came to the conclusion that the ideal gummy bears for this experiment are dark in color and chewy instead of soft—just the classic gummy bear . A darker color will not dilute so much as to turn the gummy bear totally clear as it absorbs water, and the thicker gelatin mixture will make the candy less likely to fall apart when you take it out for observation. Also, stay away from sour gummies and those with unusual flavor additives, since they are less likely to yield the intended results.

4. Set aside a third gummy as your experimental control. We recommend you do this before you even think about eating the rest of your gummy bears. It’d be tragic to suddenly realize you ate them all and you no longer have a control for your experiment. Keep it dry.

5. Wait for three hours.

6. Check back in on your waterlogged candies. You can scoop them out with a spoon and observe them on a paper towel if you so choose, but be sure to return them to their proper bowls. Take note of how the gummies have changed—write down your observations so you can contrast them with the end results. You can check in again after the next three hours.

7. (Optional) Take some measurements. If your little experimenters need more of a challenge, you can have them measure the bears with rulers and/or kitchen scales, and calculate just how much size and mass the bears have lost or gained.

8. Wait another six hours. The full transformation should be complete around hour nine.

9. Retrieve your bears from their bowls. Use a small spoon and line them up on a plate or paper towel to see how much they’ve changed. The gummy in plain water should be much larger than the unsoaked candy, while the salted water should have kept its bear roughly the same size—unless it’s caused it to shrink. More on that later.

10. Fill a third bowl with cool water and a tablespoon of salt. Place the expanded, waterlogged gummy bear into it and observe it every few hours. It should get noticeably smaller as it soaks.

How it works

Osmosis is the movement of water through a semipermeable membrane—that is, a material with holes large enough to let some things in, but small enough to keep others out. In this process, water moves through the membrane without force or energy, to make water concentration versus other molecules roughly the same on either side.

This process is important in keeping us alive. The outer membrane of our cells is semipermeable and allows small molecules like water and oxygen to pass through while keeping all the cell’s organelles protected and in place. When it’s time to eliminate waste, the cell will start pushing the toxic molecules out, while absorbing water from our blood through osmosis. Once the cell has balanced its water concentration to the one outside of it, it will stop taking in more liquid, thus preventing the cell from bursting.

Gummy bears are made of gelatin and sugar, and the proteins that make up gelatin are very similar to the outer membranes of our cells. Just like them, the gummy bear’s gelatin “skin” will allow water and other small molecules to pass through while keeping larger ones contained—in this case, those larger molecules are the sugar that make gummy bears taste so good.

When you place a gummy bear into water, the sugar molecules will try to spread out and disperse evenly through the water bowl. But the gelatin membrane won’t let them out. That sugar also makes the gummy have a relatively low concentration of water compared to the liquid around it. Osmosis seeks to correct this imbalance, so water will keep pushing into the gummy and through the membrane until the concentration is the same on either side of the gelatin. This means your gummy is going to absorb lots and lots of water.

In a solution of water and salt, the bowl and the bear have similar water concentrations, so the candy may stay about the same size or even shrink, if the water is salty enough. Just as the sugar in the bear lowers its water concentration, the salt in the bowl means a lower ratio of water to other molecules. As a response, the bear may push out water in order to dilute the liquid inside the bowl. If you place the water-swelled bear into a salt solution, those extra water molecules will leave the bear to lower the salt concentration in the bowl.

If you have time (and gummies) to spare, you can elaborate on this experiment by testing different salt concentrations. You can line up several bowls with increasing quantities of salt in the same amount of water. The more salt you add, the more your candy should shrink.