While it is a very simple one, this M&M science experiment is a fun one that demonstrates colors, color mixing, and even the effect of warm water on sugar.
Not only do they get to see the colors run through the water, but they can watch the M itself lift and move off the candy.
You have two great experiments in one.
What I love is that it is easy enough for kids to run completely on their own.
And it takes just a couple of supplies and is so quick to set up making it an easy one for mom as well.
This would be a fabulous activity to add to a preschool letter M unit, because a candy-filled study is sure to be a memorable one.
BOOKS ABOUT CHEMISTRY FOR KIDS
12 Chemistry Books & Resources for Kids of All Ages
But first here are some resources that are a great introduction and more to chemistry for kids.
Discover fun facts about the greatest scientists from history through Basher's fresh and unique illustration style.
Did you know that Marie Curie used to keep radioactive materials in her pockets? Or that Mendeleyev literally dreamed up his famous periodic table? Superstars of Science tells the stories behind the big ideas in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, mathematics, cosmology, earth sciences, and engineering. Read about 40 great scientists including Newton and Einstein who produced theories that explained the way in which the Universe works, Crick and Watson who uncovered the structure of DNA, and Alexander Graham Bell who had the big idea that became the telephone. Each one of these greats of science has had some vital flash of insight that has changed the way we see the world and the way we live. Come meet the superstars of science!
Discover the secrets of chemistry, and learn about the properties of matter and the ways in which they interact, combine and change. Chemistry is a compelling guide to a community of characters who make up everything around us.
This book is a classic in the field of popular science. Standard reading since the 1930s, it is one of the few histories of chemistry to concentrate on the lives of the great chemists. Through these dramatic and human stories, it gives an authoritative and entertaining account of the great discoveries and advances in this scientific field. After many printings in three previous editions, this book has been newly revised by the author for this fourth edition. Beginning with Trevisan and his lifelong search for the "philosopher's stone," the author narrates the lives and discoveries of such towering figures as Paracelsus and his chemical treatment of disease; Priestley looking for phlogiston and finding oxygen and carbon dioxide, Lavoisier creating a new language of chemistry; Dalton and his Atomic Theory; Avogadro and the idea of molecules, Mendeleeff arranging the table of elements under his Periodic Law; the Curies isolating radium; Thomson discovering the electron; Moseley and his Law of Atomic Numbers; Lawrence and the construction of the cyclotron; and more. Probably the most dramatic chapter in the book, the account of the development of nuclear fission, ends the story of chemistry at its most monumental achievement.
You’ll be amazed at all you can learn from this favorite drink – what’s in it, why it fizzes, what you can do with it, the containers it’s in, and more!
Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts.
If you want your child to be able to explore and complete some simple chemistry experiments without running around grabbing all the items an all in on kit is just the thing to add to your chemistry studies.
Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time.
Chemistry EditionChemistry Fluxx is the perfect compound of chance, skill and strategy-use atoms and laboratory tools to match the current goal of the game and win! The rules are always changing in Fluxx. The Keepers, Goals, Rules and Action cards determine how the game will be played.
For students, DIY hobbyists, and science buffs, who can no longer get real chemistry sets, this one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry -- not just to make pretty colors and stinky smells, but to learn how to do real lab work:
- Purify alcohol by distillation
- Produce hydrogen and oxygen gas by electrolysis
- Smelt metallic copper from copper ore you make yourself
- Analyze the makeup of seawater, bone, and other common substances
- Synthesize oil of wintergreen from aspirin and rayon fiber from paper
- Perform forensics tests for fingerprints, blood, drugs, and poisons
- and much more
Written for lay readers, provides an introduction to the principles of chemistry and includes quotations from popular literature to show how chemistry and everyday life intertwine.
If you have ever suspected that "heavy water" is the title of a bootleg Pink Floyd album, believed that surface tension is an anxiety disorder, or imagined that a noble gas is the result of a heavy meal at Buckingham Palace, then you need The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry to set you on the road to chemical literacy.
You don't need to be a scientist to grasp these and many other complex ideas, because The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry explains them all: the history and basics of chemistry, atomic theory, combustion, solubility, reaction stoichiometry, the mole, entropy, and much more—all explained in simple, clear, and yes, funny illustrations. Chemistry will never be the same!
AIR IS NOT OXYGEN is a fun way to brush up on essential science concepts you missed in school. (Admit it. You probably thought you had better things to do than study!) Clear, short chapters focus on mastering key concepts instead of memorizing facts. Dozens of optional hands-on activities make science come alive! In a style described as “Dave Barry meets Bill Nye with a touch of the Mythbusters,” award-winning author, Bill Morelan, debunks common misconceptions about basic science. Reflecting both the National Science Content Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, AIR IS NOT OXYGEN covers Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Science Methods.A fun, informative read, AIR IS NOT OXYGEN helps fill the gaps in your science education. (Never be humiliated by science geeks again!) Perfect for sharing, or as a handy basic reference tool. Makes a great book for kids, too.
While it is an easy activity it introduces some more complex science
THE SCIENCE OF THE M&M EXPERIMENT
Dissolving: Because the colored coating of M&Ms is made of sugar and colored dye when it is put into water the water molecules pull on the sugar and dye molecules and cause them to dissolve.
Diffusion: When the sugar and dye dissolve, they move from areas of high concentration (covering the M&M) to areas of low concentration (the water around it). This movement of the molecules is called diffusion.
Rainbow Effect: Immediately after the water covers the candy you see distinct lines of color as the dye diffuses into the water, creating a “rainbow” effect before they mix.
Water-Soluble Vs. Insoluble: The Floating M part of the experiment introduces the ideas of water-soluble and insoluble properties.
The M part of the candy is printed onto special edible paper that is water-insoluble so instead of just fading away quickly like the dye on the candy it separates as the other layers break down and just…floats away.
We of course aren’t just going to try the one M&M science experiment,
Grab a big bag of M&M’s for all the other cool experiments and activities using these tasty little treats that I found for you.
M&M SCIENCE EXPERIMENT AND OTHER M&M ACTIVITIES
- Give this painting with M&M Chocolate Candy as a new art medium a try for your next art project.
- Try this colorful Printable Letter A M&M Color Sorting Activity to develop letter recognition in a unique edible way.
- Here are 10+ ideas to show that M&M’s are Marvelous & Magical indeed, for counting, art, and more!
- How cute are these M&M Flower Pretzels? What a yummy way to do some basic cooking and explore colors together.
- Watch Unwrapped’s How M&M’s are made in a 12-hour process. From start to packaging there is so much to learn in these videos.
- Make some M&M’s Pixel Art for fine motor skills, creativity, and just for the fun of it.
- Change things up and take a break from sweets by recreating them with a M&M Painted Rock Tutorial, a great garden addition.
- The Fast-Moving M&M Game That Everyone Will Love sounds like a great idea for a family or co-op activity.
Finally, look at how to do this fun experiment.
EXCITING M&M SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
You will need:
- M&M’s
- Dish or shallow bowl with a flat bottom
- Warm water
First, gather up your supplies and have them ready so your child can begin immediately, nothing turns a quick and easy experiment into a frustrating one faster than scrambling around for supplies while your child waits.
Place the dish where you will be completing the experiment, you don’t want to move it once you begin.
Have them place M&Ms around the outer edge of the dish in any pattern they like.
Slowly pour warm (just from the tap) water into the center of the dish until the candy is completely covered with water.
Watch as the colors begin to dissolve off the candy shell and begin to spread throughout the water.
After just a couple minutes the colors begin to mix and muddy.
Look closely and you can see the M’s lift and float away too.
To take this experiment to the next level and introduce your child to scientific terms like hypothesis, variable, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions (all parts of the scientific method) you can try different things.
For instance, use different types of candies. Too, use different types of liquids to see which melts the fastest. For example, use water, salt water, milk,etc
