Allison+schott


 * Chemistry of cooking rock candy**

==background Information: Chemical formulas for sugar is C12H22O11 and water is H2O**.** "how sugar reacts in food is very important in cooking. the reaction are mostly based on the PH levels . These reactions happen in most of the food we eat in our daily lives"(food chemistry). "a strange fact is, for a long time people only used sugar for a medicine until something found out it was very delicious too." (Dryden, and Palmer) "when particles form in a special pattern they can form a crystal. The molecules need to be large enough to form a crystal, so they knock other molecules into different arrangements. A different arrangement can only occur if you add a different compound. If more of the compound is dissolved into a solution it is a saturated solution. The process of making crystals is called nucleation." (Background Informantion)==

Problem: Is the candy is not sweet or big enough? How can I make it better?
**Hypothesis:** If i add more oil flavor and let them sit longer they will taste better.


 * IV: Amount of flavor oil and how long it sits**
 * DV: the flavor and size**
 * contolled: Amount of sugar and water, type of sugar, flavor oil, and color dye.**

**Procedure:**

This science project requires adult help. The boiling sugar solution is extremely hot.


 * 1) "heat the sugar and water mixture to a slow boil then gradually lower the temperature. If cooked too long will produce hard candy, and that is not what we want.
 * 2) stir the water and sugar mixture to help dissolve the sugar into the water. It should be a clear/transparent mixture.
 * 3) Add food coloring and flavoring oil while stirring. acidic or fruity favors can slow the formation crystals.
 * 4) Put the sugar candy ion the refigarator at 50F degrees. this will stop the dissolving of the sugar while its on the string.
 * 5) Cotton sting is recommended because its strong, rough and nontoxic so you can eat it. Wrap the string around a pencil and set it on top of the jar. do not let the sting touch the bottom or edges of the jar. it will make the crystal grow onto the glass.
 * 6) tie a lifesaver to the bottom if desired.
 * 7) dip the sting in the sugar water solution before pouting it to the jar to make it heavier so it wont float.
 * 8) Pour the sugar water solution into the jar once it has cooled to 50F degrease. carefully put the sting into the sugar water solution. set it in a place it will not be disturbed or bumped. Place a paper town on top to avoid dust or germs getting inside.
 * 9) check on the crystals every day to see the rate they are growing. remove them when the time is up for how long they where planned to sit. "(Helmenstine)

http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Make-Rock-Candy.htm

=My procedures= 5 days 3 days 7 days =My results= 5 days 3 days 7 days =My errors= On the one I had to plan to sit for 5 days sat for 8 instead of 5 because of snow days. I also had trouble heating the sugar water to make it boil. I had also forgot to add the peppermint oil while I was dissolving the sugar so I added it to the top of the jar that already had the dissolved sugar in it.
 * 3 drops of blue food coloring
 * set on highest temperature of a hot plate till boiled then lowered
 * 1/2 tbs of peppermint oil
 * 3 drops of red food coloring
 * set on highest temperature of a hot plate till boiled then lowered
 * 1/4 tbs of peppermint oil
 * 3 drops of yellow food coloring
 * set on highest temperature of a hot plate till boiled then lowered
 * 1 tbs of peppermint oil
 * 1/2mm wide
 * 7mm tall
 * 2mm wide
 * 9mm tall
 * 3mm wide
 * unknown height

On the yellow 7 day crystal had grown onto the bottom of the glass jar. I tried to remove the crystal and it broke leaving a lot of the crystal still stuck to the bottom. I was unable to take an accurate reading of the length. these where both human errors. I measured the width of the longest part of what broke off.

I also could not refrigerate any of my solutions because a refrigerator was not available.

=Conclusion= The flavor of the blue day 5 was not very strong. there was not much on it to taste.

The flavor of the red 3 days was perfect to me. It was bulky but not stuck to the bottom to the jar. The taste of peppermint was not too week or too strong.

The flavor of the yellow 7 day was way too strong for my taste. you couldn't even taste the sugar of the actual crystal. It was also hard to east scene it was all broken

=Hypothesis rejected or accepted?= Rejected because the more I added and let it grow the more difficult and overpowering it was. = =
 * Materials and cost: **
 * 3 cups sugar ( [|__sucrose__] ) -$2.98
 * 1 cup water - free from tap
 * clean glass jar - $10.97
 * cotton string - $6.09
 * pencil or knife - free i have a pencil
 * food coloring (optional) - $3.48
 * 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp flavoring oil or extract (optional) - $5.97
 * Lifesaver candy (optional) - none
 * pan - $5.49
 * stove or microwave - $45.00 if microwave is not available.
 * total $35 without microwave, with microwave would be $80

**Work cited**

Helmenstine, Anne M., Ph.D. "Rock Candy." //About.com Chemistry//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. .

"Food Chermistry." //Ww.ift.org///. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. .

"Walmart.com: Save Money. Live Better." //Walmart.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. <http://www.walmart.com/index.gsp?redirectwww=true>.

Helmenstine, Anne M., Ph.D. "Video:How to Make Rock Candy." //About.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. <http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Make-Rock-Candy.htm>.

Dryden, and Palmer. "Rock Candy History." //Fresh Candy Shipped Fast!// N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. <http://www.candywarehouse.com/rockcandyhistory/>.

"Background Informantion - What Type of Sugar Grows Best Rock Candy?" //Background Informantion - What Type of Sugar Grows Best Rock Candy?// N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. <https://sites.google.com/a/ans.edu.ni/what-type-of-sugar-grows-best-rock-candy/background-information>.

How do you plan on flavoring the candy? by using artificial flavoring or natural flavoring with the orange, lemon, or lime? -Claire Schrock