What? Chewing gum in school? ...and calling it work?

Math/Science Bubble Gum Lab

GENERAL INFORMATION
Materials needed: two different brands of gum, calipers, tape measure, ruler, calculator, scale.

A data table must be completed for each brand used.

Consider the following questions:

Should students change jobs for each brand and/or trial?;
Who should be the bubble blower? How will your group decide?
Should the bubble blower stay the same for each brand? Why or why not?

Brands to be tested may include any of the following: Carefree Sugarless (does using sugarless gum provide an advantage, disadvantage, no effect?), Dubble Bubble, Bubblicious, Bazooka, others? (Groups will supply their own gum) Some results.

(Click on small images for larger view.)

WHO?

Groups of 3 -- Jobs: bubble blower, measurer, recorder
Each student will take notes, complete data tables, make graphs, and do own analysis.

Group members will turn in papers together in one folder. The lists of information, and the tables will probably be the same for each student, while the graphs may or may not look exactly the same due to different scales or graph paper. However, the analysis should NOT be exactly the same, it should be expressed in student's own words!!

Group members may disagree as to which is the best brand for blowing the biggest bubbles. The group should try to come to a consensus (agreement). However, if a member is still unconvinced after the group's discussion, then that person should report their own interpretation of the group's conclusions.

HOW?

Determine the technique your group will use to measure a "bubble gum balloon".
Select which materials to use: calipers, tape measure, ruler, calculators, scale.
In your report include why that method was chosen. What are the advantages, disadvantages of your chosen method, did you have previous knowledge, or was your group experimenting?

Determine the best metric unit to get the most accurate measurements for your report. Should your group use centimeters to the nearest tenth, or millimeters (does it matter?), which cubic units for volume will your group use, which square units for area and surface area, will you measure mass in grams, or centigrams, etc.?

Procedures will include the following:

1. collecting data and completing data tables;
2. creating graphs;
3. analyzing the results by comparing data from their group, and at least one other group; and
4. writing a report of at least two to three paragraphs.

In other words:
Students in groups will determine the best method to take measurements.
Each student in the group will complete a data table.
Each student in the group will make and label all graphs for each brand tested.
Each student will analyze the results comparing the different brands of bubble gum used, and write his or her own report.

WHAT?

The gum used will be labeled by brand name: if more than one person in a group tested the same brand -- then label it Brand "A" - trial 1
and Brand "A" - trial 2

Measurements needed:

1. circumference of inflated "balloon" (diameter & radius),
2. volume of inflated balloon (cubic units of air)
3. mass of wad
4. circumference of wad

5. volume of wad
6. circumference of flattened piece of gum (smash onto an index card or piece of paper, enclose in plastic bag or cellophane wrap, then measure, and include with group report)
7. surface area of inflated balloon (4 � r2)
Graphs required for each
Brand and trial:

A. Line graphs
Circumference on y-axis. Plots 1 & 2 on Grid 1; Plot 3 on Grid 2; Plots 4 & 5 on Grid 3
plot 1 circumference vs. diameter of inflated balloon (What is the slope of this line? Slope is ratio of the change in y to the change in x.)

plot 2 circumference vs. diameter of flattened wad (What is slope? Don't forget wad must be included with report so do not throw gum away.)
plot 3 circumference vs. volume of inflated balloon (formula for volume of a sphere = 4/3 � r 3)
plot 4 circumference of wad vs. volume of wad
plot 5 circumference of wad vs. mass of wad

B. Double Bar graphs - Comparing Brands A and B
brands vs. surface area Grid 4
brands vs. inflated circumference Grid 5
brands vs. volume of inflated balloons Grid 6
brands vs. cost of bubble
Grid 7
What variables are we using in this lab?

There are several types: control variables, qualitative variables (taste, color, texture, etc.), and quantitative variables (things you can measure).

We will call these quantitative variables dependent and independent, sometimes they are known as the manipulated and responding variables. For example, in our experiment the circumference, diameter, volume, mass, and cost are quantitative variables. Before creating each graph you must determine which variables are considered the dependent and independent, because you will graph the dependent variable on the y-axis, and the independent variable on the x-axis.

What variables should be controlled? What does it mean to control a variable?
Should the number of pieces of gum be "controlled", or who blows the bubble? Should any other variables be controlled?

Group activities include:
part 1 discuss best method to collect data;
part 2 collect data;
part 3 fill in data tables;
part 4 graph results by hand or using technology;
part 5 after analyzing your group's results, consult with at least one other group that analyzed the same brand;
part 6 write a two to three paragraph report describing procedures and
results; and
part 7 decide which brand is the best for blowing the biggest bubbles.

Qualitative variables to consider: taste (long lasting), color , texture, chewability (h