Percentage Sugar In Bubblegum

Christina Svensson 06.04.2009 Mr. Porter SCH3UE % sugar in bubble gum Purpose: To determine the percentage of sugar in bubblegum Procedure: 1) Determine mass of bubblegum (with its wrapping) 2) Take bubble gum out of its wrapping (make sure to save the wrapping for later use!) 3) Chew the bubblegum until it feels hard and tasteless 4) Put the bubblegum on the wrapping 5) Let the bubblegum dry 6) After days of drying, determine the mass of the bubblegum 7) Record observations Qualitative observations: Bubblegum before experiment – Solid – Pink – Soft – Dry Quantitative observations: Before completed experiment Mass of bubblegum with wrapping Mass of bubblegum Mass of wrapping After competed experiment Mass of bubblegum with wrapping Mass of bubblegum Mass of wrapping Calculations:

Sources of error:

Bubblegum after completed experiment – Solid – Pink – Hard – Wet

Any artificial flavour or colours the bubblegum contained might have been “chewed out” of the bubblegum. This will affect the mass of the bubblegum calculated because it is assumed that the mass being “chewed out”; of the bubblegum is all sugar. This will increase the calculated sugar percentage in the bubblegum. Unknown “materials” in the chewers’ mouth might have stuck to the bubblegum while chewing. This will affect the calculated mass of the bubblegum, because, as said previously, the mass “chewed out” of the bubblegum is assumed to be sugar. This will increase the calculated percentage of sugar in the bubblegum. Since the bubblegum was touched, impurities might have been transferred from the hand touching it, to the bubblegum. These foreign substances might change the mass of the bubblegum when measured, hence; it will increase the calculated percentage of sugar in the bubblegum. This is because, as mentioned earlier, the mass “chewed out” of the bubblegum is assumed to be sugar, not impurities. Conclusion: