Name: ___________________________________ Period: _____ Date: __________________
Percent Composition of Sugar in Bubble Gum Lab
Have you ever looked on a package of bubble gum to see what it is
made of? Well, the bubble gum is made of two different types of
saps collected from trees. The first type of sap, chicle, comes from
the sap of the sapodilla or naseberry tree (not raspberry). This tree grows in Mexico,
Central America, and tropical sections of South America. The second type of sap, gutta siak is a rubber-like
sap obtained from trees that grow in the Netherlands. This sap was found to be fun to chew, and you could
probably even blow bubbles with this sap just as it comes from the tree! Incidentally, sap is collected by
making cuts at the bottom of the tree, and then collecting it in cups. The sap is later processed into the fun
treat we know and love – bubble gum!
Purpose: The purpose of the lab is to calculate the percent of sugar found in various samples of bubble gum
using percent composition (also called percent by mass).
Materials Needed:
Weigh Boat
Electronic Balance
Bubble Gum
Safety Precautions: Do NOT throw bubble gum wrappers in sinks or on the floor! Wrappers
must go in the trashcan! Also, gum is NOT to be placed directly on the balance. Gum will be
placed on the weigh boats. Finally, chewed gum belongs in the trash at the end of the lab – NOT
underneath a desk (or on the bottom of someone’s shoe)!
Procedures:
1. Obtain a piece of bubble gum of the same brand and flavor for each member of your lab group. Record
the name and flavor of the gum on your data table.
2. Use a balance to determine the mass of a weigh boat. Record the mass in the data table.
3. Unwrap the pieces of gum and place the gum in the weigh boat (for two lab members, two pieces of gum
should be massed at the same time; for three lab members, three pieces of gum should be massed at the
same time, etc.). Determine the mass of the weigh boat and all of the gum. Record mass in data table.
4. Each person in the group should chew a piece of gum for fifteen minutes to dissolve and remove the sugar
from the gum. While waiting for the fifteen minutes to expire, you will have an assignment to work on at
your lab station with your group members.
5. After fifteen minutes of chewing, the gum should have “lost” all of the flavoring. Collect each lab
member’s piece of chewed gum in the weigh boat that you massed earlier. Now, take the mass of the
gum and weigh boat. Record the mass in the data table.
Clean Up
1. Place the chewed gum and weigh boat in the trash
2. Clean up around your station (make sure all the wrappers are in the trash)
3. Unplug the balance
Data Table: BEFORE chewing
brand name of gum
flavor
number of group members
mass of all gum AND
weigh boat
mass of weigh boat
mass of un-chewed gum
Date Table: AFTER chewing
mass of all chewed num
AND weigh boat
mass of weigh boat
(same mass as before chewing)
mass of chewed gum
mass of sweetner in gum
percent of sweetner (sugar)
in bubble gum
Calculations: Show how to find the percent composition of sweetner/sugar in the gum in the space provided
below! Show the formula, where you plugged your numbers in, and show your answer to the correct number
of significant figures!