When teaching scientific measurements like mass, density and volume to kids in a classroom setting, gummy bears make good subjects because they are small and the kids can snack on them when they're done. Several classrooms have used this exercise to teach kids about measurements and as the first part in an experiment on how much the gummy bear changes in these measurements when soaked overnight in water. You can perform a few simple calculations to determine the mass, density and volume of a gummy bear.
- Ruler
- Scale
Measure the length of the gummy bear -- from its feet to its head -- with the ruler to the nearest millimeter.
Measure the width of the bear -- from one arm to the other -- at its widest point to the nearest millimeter.
Measure its thickness with the ruler from front to back to the nearest millimeter.
Multiply the three measurements together to determine its volume.
Place the gummy bear on a scale to find its mass to the nearest tenth of a gram.
Divide the mass by the volume to determine its density.
Things You'll Need
References
About the Author
Based in the Washington, D.C., area, Dan Taylor has been a professional journalist since 2004. He has been published in the "Baltimore Sun" and "The Washington Times." He started as a reporter for a newspaper in southwest Virginia and now writes for "Inside the Navy." He holds a Bachelor of Arts in government with a journalism track from Patrick Henry College.
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