According to Pop Rocks FAQs, Pop Rocks were accidentally invented by a chemist in 1956. William A. Mitchell, a food scientist at General Mills, had been attempting to make instant carbonated soda, similar to Kool Aid, but instead made a formula for carbonated candy. Pop Rocks are sugar-coated pockets of carbon dioxide gas.

Because he believed this invention to be a failure, he filed away the formula until it was discovered 20 years later. With some tweaks, his formula became the world famous Pop Rocks candy we know today!

Let’s Begin!

Materials

1 packet of pop rocks
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable or olive oil
Stopwatch

Directions:

Observe the materials. Examine the Pop Rocks using a magnifying glass. What do you notice? Using your 5 senses, record your observations in the worksheet.
Using your worksheet, make a prediction about which liquid will dissolve the Pop Rocks the quickest. What about the slowest?
Select the cup of vinegar. If you cannot tell which cup is water and which is vinegar, waft the scent towards your nose. Vinegar produces a sharp smell.
Hit the time start on your stopwatch when you pour the packet of Pop Rocks into the glass.
Observe what happens. Listen carefully for the crackle and pop that indicated the Pop Rocks are dissolving. How loud is the sound? Try placing your hand above the glass. Do you feel tiny impacts of the candy against your palm? How often do you feel them? Do you see the pop rocks disappearing?
Time how long it takes for the Pop Rocks to completely dissolve.
Repeat with the water and oil.

Candy Chemistry Worksheet

Examining the Experiment

This experiment involves dissolving the sugar-coating around the gas pockets. Many substances dissolve sugar. This experiment explores which types of substances dissolve sugar best using sensory skills.

Water, due to is polar nature, dissolves many solids quickly, including salt, baking soda, and even sugar. Oils and other similar bases such as dish soap do not dissolve sugar well, while household acids, like vinegar and lemon juice, perform similarly to water.

Sensory skills are important tools for young scientists. Children make sense of their world and draw many important conclusion about the natural world just using their senses. While toddlers and young children may not be able to fully understand the interaction between pH and its ability to dissolve sugar, children are able to hear, see and feel the very different reactions Pop Rocks have when being introduced to these various household liquids. From the different sensory inputs, children will be practicing foundation skills for future science exploring.

We chose candy to explore these reactions because candy is fun. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), play, as a method of informal education, has several perks. Scientists have shown that toddlers engage in a range of play to help them contextualize new skills and knowledge for later use.

Early childhood experts suggest that play promotes, “curiosity about the world, initiative and problem solving, and focused attention and persistence are just a few approaches to learning that children develop through play” (NAEYC). Making science fun, by including familiar and enjoyable topics promote self-sustained learning. Children will learn to initiate and sustain their own exploratory play in everyday life. This provides a sense of agency, empowering life-long education through independent investigations.