Dancing Frankenworms Gummy Worm Science Experiment

This entry was posted on by (updated on )
Frankenworms Dancing Gummy Worms
The secret to turning gummy worms into Frankenworms is the baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction.
The secret to turning gummy worms into Frankenworms is the baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction.

Frankenworms are gummy worm candies that seem to move with a zombie life of their own. Making the worms dance is a fun science experiment, perfect for Halloween. The project uses candy, baking soda, and vinegar, so it’s safe enough for young children.

Frankenworms Materials

There’s nothing magical about gummy worms except their long shape. You can try animating licorice or other long, skinny candies. Gel-type candies work best because they absorb the baking soda faster.

  • Gummy Worms
  • Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
  • Vinegar (Acetic Acid)
  • Water
  • Scissors or Kitchen Shears

Turn Gummy Worms Into Frankenworms

  1. Gummy worms are too heavy to wriggle well, so you need to make them lighter. Cut each worm into halves or quarters lengthwise to make skinny gummy worms.
  2. Place the cut worms into a glass. Pour a few spoonfuls of baking soda over the worms. Add just enough water to dissolve most of the baking soda. The goal is to make a saturated solution, so if all of the baking soda dissolves in the water, add more.
  3. Set the worms aside to soak in the baking soda solution for 15-30 minutes.
  4. Pour vinegar into a glass. Drop the soaked worms into the glass. Initially, nothing will happen. Then, bubbles start forming on the surface of the worms as the baking soda and vinegar react. The bubbles pull the worms toward the surface, making them to writhe and wriggle. Eventually the reaction ends and the Frankenworms become wet gummy worms.
  5. Revive used Frankenworms by soaking them in baking soda solution and placing them in fresh vinegar.

The Science of How It Works

The same reaction that makes a baking soda and vinegar volcano erupt brings gummy worms to “life”. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (dilute acetic acid) undergo a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, as well as water and sodium acetate.

baking soda + vinegar → sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide

NaHCO3 + HC2H3O2 → NaC2H3O2 + H2O + CO2

The gas bubbles form on the surface of the worms. As more and more carbon dioxide molecules group together, larger bubbles form. Big bubbles are lighter than vinegar, so they make the worms rise. If bubbles become large enough to break away from the worm and rise on their own, that part of the worm sinks back down.

Substitutions

The long and wriggly shape of gummy worms makes them the perfect candy for this project, but it works with other candies, too. Try other gummy shapes. If necessary, cut them up into pieces so they are light enough to “dance”. Just avoid hard, dense candies that aren’t as buoyant as the softer gels.

Instead of baking soda and vinegar, simply add gummy worms to any carbonated beverage. While you lose some of the “science”, it’s not messy and it makes a fun recipe for kids.

Another alternative to baking soda and vinegar is using seltzer tablets. Simply drop one into a glass of water and worms and enjoy the reaction. The bubbles don’t form on the frankenworms, but they accumulate on the candy surface and give the same result. Alka-Seltzer is also the key ingredient in the homemade lava lamp.

References

  • Clayden, Jonathan; Greeves, Nick; Warren, Stuart; Wothers, Peter (2001). Organic Chemistry (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-850346-0.