Outreach

Most everyone, young and old, enjoys consuming gummy bears. They are chewy, juicy and sugary sweet! And speaking of sugar, each and every gummy bear is packed full of energy. Just how much can be qualitatively demonstrated by “The Exploding Gummy Bear” as titled by Sonia, or more accurately by “The Rapid Oxidation of Sugar.”

Vitamin C, chemically known as L-ascorbic acid, is an important nutrient that provides support to body structures, contributes to wound healing and aids the immune system in preventing infection. In this activity, participants learn how to determine whether vitamin C is present in commercial drinks and, if so, how to measure the relative amount.

On its own, hydrogen peroxide slowly decomposes into oxygen and water. For this reason, fresh bottles of drugstore hydrogen peroxide, labeled 3%, are actually 6%. This is so the hydrogen peroxide remains above 3% at the expiration date, if stored properly.