Alpha science classroom: Make Your Own Gelatin Pearls

Pearls are the most precious treasures. Do children know how pearls are made? These answers are hidden in the kitchen. Today, Alpha Science Classroom makes its own gelatin pearls with children through this simple kid's science experiment activity, unlock the mysteries of the molecules hidden in the pearls, make children understand the chemical experiment for kids' knowledge, and become the most powerful pearl expert.

Alpha science classroom: Make Your Own Gelatin Pearls Materials:

• Unflavored gelatin powder, two seven-gram packages

• Water or juice, one-half cup

• Spoon

• Food coloring (red, blue, or green work well)

• Vegetable oil

• Four cups

• Water

• Four tall containers

• Freezer

• Ice cubes

• Saucepan or microwavable cup

• Stove or microwave

• Dropper or syringe

• Slotted spoon

• Plate

• An adult helper

• Red cabbage (optional)

Alpha Science Classroom: Make your own gelatin pearl making steps

Step 1: The children place a dropper or syringe, four containers (two filled with water and two filled with oil), and hot gelatin nearby. After one minute, the children will add a few drops of warm gelatin to each container.

Step 2: The child uses a dropper/syringe to put a drop of warm gelatin into each container and observe what happens. Repeat this process until the children have added three drops to each container. Will the child see some pearls in some liquids but not in other liquids?

Step 3: The children let the water droplets sit for a minute, and then see if they can use a slotted spoon to scatter the pearls. Which liquid can form gelatin pearls? Why do you think this is the case?

Step 4: The children rinse the pearls with water and try to taste them. How does your gelatin pearl taste? How is the texture?

Use the remaining warm gelatin to make more gelatin pearls. Try to make different sizes of pearl or gelatin pasta. If necessary, re-cool the oil in the freezer between batches.

Alpha Science Classroom: Make your own gelatin pearl  

Do children's warm gelatin droplets only form beautiful pearls in cold oil, but drop them into water or room temperature oil but they cannot form pearls?

The alpha science classroom tells the children to prepare gelatin, please evenly disperse the gelatin particles in the liquid (water or juice) used for this activity. These particles will disperse into long clusters when heated. If they are sufficiently concentrated, they will form a gel when the gelatin is interwoven and form a three-dimensional structure, which traps the liquid when it cools. When gelatin is dropped into water, the particles will be dispersed in all the water, and its concentration will become too low to solidify. However, when warm gelatin is dropped into the oil, the gelatin will stay in the pellets. This happens because water and oil will not mix. The gelatin particles avoid the oil, so they come together to form the shape that has the least interaction with the oil: a sphere.

In addition to concentration, the temperature of the solution is also important. Gelatin needs to be cooled below a certain temperature to solidify. Cold oil provides the necessary cooling, while room temperature oil cannot. Therefore, you can fish beautiful solid gelatin pearls from a cold oil bath, but not from a room temperature oil bath or water bath.

How about the taste for the pearls made by children? Take these delicious pearls and share them with your family and friends. Do you like today's kid's science experiment in Alpha Science Classroom? With delicious gelatin pearls, it will not only stimulate children's taste but also provide children with the opportunity to operate the chemistry science experiment for kids. Have children understood the chemistry knowledge? If kids want to learn more about fun science experiments, check out Alpha Science Toys and explore the mysteries of fun science!