Summary
Areas of Science
Difficulty
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
This science fair project requires adult help. The boiling sugar solution is extremely hot.
Credits
*Note:
For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.
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If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.
Abstract
If you browse through a candy cookbook, you might notice that many of the recipes call for corn syrup in addition to sugar. Both sugar and corn syrup are sweet, so why do you need corn syrup if you already have sugar? In candy making, corn syrup is known as an interfering agent. But what does this mean and how does it work? You can find out for yourself by making two batches of rock candy, one with corn syrup and one without. For example, you could alter the science project When Science is Sweet: Growing Rock Candy Crystals by replacing 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of water (in the sugar-water solution) with 1 tbsp of corn syrup in one of the batches of rock candy. (Make sure the batches are prepared the same in every other way.) Are there any differences between the two rock candy batches? Once you understand what an interfering agent is, you could try experimenting with other ingredients to see if they can act as interfering agents, too.Bibliography
- Science Buddies. (2013, January 10). When Science is Sweet: Growing Rock Candy Crystals. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
Ask an Expert
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Good taste, texture, quality, and safety are all very important in the food industry. Food science technicians test and catalog the physical and chemical properties of food to help ensure these aspects.
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The role that the chemical technician plays is the backbone of every chemical, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical manufacturing operation. Chemical technicians conduct experiments, record data, and help to implement new processes and procedures in the laboratory. If you enjoy hands-on work, then you might be interested in the career of a chemical technician.
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Related Links
Cite This Page
General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.MLA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
"Hey, There's Corn in My Candy!" Science Buddies,
23 June 2020,
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/FoodSci_p017/cooking-food-science/corn-syrup-candy.
Accessed 28 May 2023.
APA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
(2020, June 23).
Hey, There's Corn in My Candy!
Retrieved from
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/FoodSci_p017/cooking-food-science/corn-syrup-candy
Last edit date: 2020-06-23
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