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How to Demonstrate the Energy Of Candy (Gummi Bears Vs. M&M's)

video How to Demonstrate the Energy Of Candy (Gummi Bears Vs. M&M's)

Hyperactive kids, could this be the cause? This demonstration will open your eyes to the amount of energy stored in these little candies.

What you do is melt a small quantity of potassium chlorate in a large test tube clamped to a ring stand. Use long-handled tongs to introduce a Gummi Bear candy to the test tube. The sugar in the candy reacts vigorously with the potassium chlorate, causing the bear to 'dance' amidst bright purple flames.

96 comments

1-40 of 96

Jul 20, 2009. 7:26 PMjoerubberboots9 says:

dude! that's sweet! my gummies are the same way!

Nov 28, 2010. 9:23 AMHitman227 says:

Run! Terrorist/freedom fighter gummys with ak's are attacking!

Sep 14, 2009. 8:20 PMdawsonj says:

screwd up evil gummi

Sep 15, 2009. 6:49 PMjoerubberboots9 says:

tis' rambo, mate.

Mar 1, 2010. 11:47 AMracermix says:

the jet fuel for the future!

Feb 3, 2010. 3:36 PMMadBricoleur says:

HOLY CACA Gummi Bear Jet ENGINE!!!

Jul 28, 2008. 7:16 PM

I_am_Canadian says:

HOLY CRAP

Oct 30, 2008. 10:39 PMMostlyHarmless says:

Lets consider the mis-information in the video, it trys to show the "energy" stored in the candy, yet that energy is released due to the KClO3 along with the candy. This isn't energy that you absorb when digesting candy.
No offense whatsoever to the creator was mean by the above comment, it was a really fun video to watch .

Jan 28, 2010. 9:58 PMNyxius says:

I don't think the video was intended to quantify how much energy is in each candy, but was intended to show the difference in energy between candies.

Aug 24, 2009. 9:50 AM___ says:

unless u drank KClO3 lol

Jun 1, 2009. 1:13 PMdaliad100 says:

To do that you would need a calorimeter or something set up like one

May 5, 2009. 12:48 AMsuperhubbardman says:

true, but it was still cool lol

Dec 28, 2009. 7:22 PMcamel flag says:

the video didnt show on my computer

Dec 27, 2009. 7:04 PMaeronut01 says:

Where do you get potassium chlorate?

Dec 24, 2009. 10:11 AMpieman12 says:

now we know what we will be using for rocket fuel from now on... LOL

Dec 23, 2009. 10:34 PMshadowofblood says:

If you were to harness all the energy from the gummi bear, you could probably blow up a state or two :D

Dec 16, 2009. 7:04 PMElectricUmbrella says:

Wow! That's sick! I wonder if the smoke can be used to power a small steam engine...that could turn a small generator....

Dec 16, 2009. 7:06 PMElectricUmbrella says:

Probably wouldn't be very practical, but could be fun!

Oct 27, 2009. 2:28 PMeulaliaaaa! says:

All I can say is wow.

Aug 26, 2008. 7:10 PMexperimental pyrotechnician says:

you should fill a bath tub with melted potassium chlorate and dump 10 pounds of cane sugar in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Sep 14, 2009. 8:26 PMdawsonj says:

and harness its energy to power a super death ray and take over the world!!!! bwahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sep 14, 2009. 8:19 PMdawsonj says:

OMG this is insane! dude! best video i ever seen.

Sep 2, 2009. 1:17 PMsupersam78250 says:

my chem teacher showed us how to do that yeasterday

Jun 21, 2009. 7:28 AM555mst555 says:

is it diluted potassium chlorate?

Jun 14, 2009. 6:35 PMduckythescientist says:

Question... How much of the released energy is from the candy and how much is from the potassium chlorate? I liked the video, but I think that it may be a little misleading unless the energy was released only from the Candy.

Apr 8, 2008. 4:57 AMjaehung105 says:

i wonder how much energy skittles and candy canes have in them. they're like made out of pure sugar.