Activity Title: Dancing FrankenWorms
Age Group(s):
- PreSchool
DESCRIPTION:
Watch ordinary gummy worms come to “life” in this simple science experiment.
What do I need?
For this activity, you will need the following items:
1. Gummy worms
2. Baking soda
3. Water
4. Vinegar
5. 2 clear cups/glasses
6. Kitchen scissors or knife
How do we do it?
1. First, cut up some gummy worms lengthwise into 2 or 4 pieces (Note: thinner worms are ideal so 4 pieces actually work best!)
2. Add a couple of spoons of baking soda and enough water to dissolve some of the baking soda. If all of the baking soda dissolves, add more until some undissolved powder remains.
3. Drop the gummy worm strips in the baking soda mixture. Let the worms soak in the baking soda solution for 15 minutes to half an hour.
4. Fill up the second glass three-thirds of the way with vinegar and drop a baking-soda-soaked worms into the vinegar.
5. Then watch as bubbles start to form bringing the worms to life and do a happy dance!
What is the science behind it?
The gummy worms dance due to the chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) that produces carbon dioxide gas. When the baking-soda-soaked gummy worms are added to vinegar, gas bubbles form on the gummy worms. As the gas bubbles rise to the surface, the gummy worms are pulled and wriggle and dance all the way up. As the gas bubbles burst, the worms will slowly fall back to the bottom of the cup until enough bubbles form again to pull it back up. The bubbles will continue to form until all the baking soda on the worms are used up.
