Delicious Hands-On Science That Melts in Your Mouth, and Dissolves in Water

Candy Science – Floating Delicious hands-on science that melts in your Letters mouth, and dissolves in Delicious hands-on science that melts in your water. mouth, and dissolves in water. M&Ms have the slogan of M&Ms have the slogan of melting in your melting in your mouth, but mouth, but not in your hands. You wanna not in your hands. You wanna know know something cool? The special melting something cool? The special melting property property is totally scientific. Certain parts of is totally scientific. Certain parts of an M&M an M&M will dissolve in water, while others will dissolve in water, while others won’t. won’t. The results are an amazing The results are an amazing phenomenon that phenomenon that we call Floating Letters. we call Floating Letters. Experiment Experiment Fill a clear glass or bowl half-full with 1. Fill a clear glass or bowl half-full with 5. water. water. Drop a few M&M’s into the water. 2. Drop a few M&M’s into the water. 6. Allow the M&M’s to soak in the 3. Allow the M&M’s to soak in the 7. water for 10-20 minutes. water for 10-20 minutes. As the M&Ms sit in the water, you 4. As the M&Ms sit in the water, you 8. will witness the colored dyes start to will witness the colored dyes start to dissolve into the water. After a bit dissolve into the water. After a bit more time passes, you will see a more time passes, you will see a translucent shell, along with the white translucent shell, along with the white “M” float to the surface of the water. “M” float to the surface of the water. Cool! Cool! Want to try different colors? Try doing the Want to try different colors? Try doing the experiment with Skittles candies! experiment with Skittles candies! How Does It Work? How Does It Work? Don’t worry, M&Ms are still the same Don’t worry, M&Ms are still the same delicious treat that you’ve always eaten. delicious treat that you’ve always eaten. However, certain parts of the hard candy However, certain parts of the hard candy aren’t soluble in water and some are water- aren’t soluble in water and some are water- soluble. After a short time of soaking in the soluble. After a short time of soaking in the water, you begin to see the colored dyes from water, you begin to see the colored dyes from the M&Ms dissolve and mix together in the the M&Ms dissolve and mix together in the bowl. This lets you know that the dyes are, in bowl. This lets you know that the dyes are, in fact, water soluble. However, the translucent fact, water soluble. However, the translucent shell and white “M” are not water soluble. shell and white “M” are not water soluble. That’s why, after 10-20 minutes, you witness That’s why, after 10-20 minutes, you witness this hardshell and “M” float in the water this hardshell and “M” float in the water without break apart. without break apart. Candy Science – Floating Letters