Science Fair Projects With Coke & Candy Bars

We all know that coke and candy bars are not healthy foods, but they are surprisingly useful materials for science experiments. Whether you have a science fair coming up, or you simply want to play mad scientist for a day, grab some coke and some candy bars and get to work. Come up with a hypothesis and begin your scientific tests, and allow yourself to conduct a taste test or two.

Density Experiments

Different candy bar fillings may affect the candy bar's density.

Test the density of different sodas and candy bars by watching them float or sink in water. Some example hypotheses include, "If diet coke is less dense than water, then it will float" or "If a candy bar is cut in half, then it will be more/less dense."

Conduct the experiment by measuring the dimensions, volume, mass and density of each item. Find out the density of water, and then make a hypothesis as to whether the items will sink of float. Test your hypothesis.

Tooth Decay and Soda or Candy Bars

Soda and candy bars may not keep your teeth pearly white.

You don't need to be a dentist to know that sugar corrodes your teeth, but have you ever seen the corrosion firsthand? Find out the effects of soda and candy bars on tooth enamel and decay. Obtain healthy teeth from a dentist for your experiment. Conduct this experiment by placing the teeth in different liquids or candies; make sure you have a control substance like water or air to test the corrosion against. Watch the teeth for a month and track any changes in mass, volume or appearance.

Electricity and Coke

Find out if coke or potatoes make for a better clock.

Test the conductivity of different variables, including vinegar, coke, diet coke, potatoes and lemons. Energy can be produced by putting two different types of metals into a conducting substance.

Metals include, copper, zinc and aluminum. Obtain strips of different metals from a hardware store and put these strips into your substance. It is important that they do not touch.

Connect a volt meter to each piece of metal; this machine will read out the energy levels that are being produced. Record your data and determine which combination of variables produces the most charge.

Thermal Energy and Candy Bars

Food contains energy and you can set fire to it in order to determine its energy content. Do an experiment to determine which candy bars have the most thermal energy. An example hypothesis could be, "If a candy bar contains peanuts, then it will have a higher thermal energy than those without."

Conduct the experiment by placing various candy bars into paperless aluminum cans. Using a pair of tongs, hold one can at a time over an open fire source. Burn each candy bar until it melts. Using an atomic calorimeter, which you can rent or borrow from a local university, measure how much heat each candy bar produces.