Name: ___________________________________

Partner: ___________________

Scientific Method Bubble Gum Lab

Learning Objective: Students will be able to apply the scientific method to address a
series of problems and perform a simple experiment.
Materials: A ruler, a scale, 2 pieces of Brand A gum, and 2 pieces of Brand B gum.
Observations:
Each group will be given two pieces of each brand of bubble gum. Make three
qualitative observations about each brand of gum and write them below. Remember
that an observation can be utilizing any of your five senses (sight, touch, smell, etc)
Brand A: ________________________

Brand B: ________________________

1) ______________________________

1) ______________________________

2) ______________________________

2) ______________________________

3) ______________________________

3) ______________________________

Measuring Area:
Using a ruler, measure the length and width of both of your piece of gum in centimeters
(cm). Calculate the area of both pieces of gum in square centimeters (cm 2) by
multiplying the length by the width (L x W). Record your information below:
Brand A

Brand B

Length (cm): _____________________

Length (cm): _____________________

Width (cm): _____________________

Width (cm): _____________________

Area (cm2): _____________________

Area (cm2): _____________________

Measuring Weight:
Before using the electronic balance hit the ZERO or TARE button. The balance should
then reset to a weight of 0.00 grams. Place a single piece of gum without the wrapper
on the balance and record the weight below in grams (g):
Brand A
Brand B
Weight (g): _____________________
Weight (g): ___________________
Problem: Which brand of bubble gum blows the biggest bubble?

Mr. Saucedo

1.

Biology

Hypothesis: Predict which brand of gum will blow the biggest bubble. Your hypothesis
should be one complete sentence and include a reason why you chose that particular
gum. (Ex: I think that Big Red Gum will blow the biggest bubble because it weighed the
most)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Procedure:
1. Each group member will be in charge of chewing a certain brand of gum. One person
will begin chewing two pieces of Brand A. The other will begin chewing two pieces of
Brand B. (If you cannot blow a bubble, now is the time to learn. )
2. If you havent already, you may start chewing your gum now.
3. Once each person thinks they are capable of blowing a bubble, use the ruler to
measure the distance from your partners lips to the outer most part of the bubble.
Make your measurements in centimeters! Record the measurement in the data table
below.
4. Repeat the process again five times, and record these measurements in your data
table under trials 2, 3, 4, and 5.
5. Find the average bubble size for Brand A by adding all of your trials and divide by 5.
Record this in the data table below.
Data Table:
Gum

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Average

Brand A

Brand B

Graph: Graph the your data as a line graph.

On the horizontal (x axis), you will put the Trial # (this should range from 1-5).
On the vertical (y axis), you will put the bubble size that you measured in
centimeters (the range will vary depending on how good you are at blowing
Mr. Saucedo

2.

Science

bubbles).
Plot each point on the graph. Use different colors or different shape points for
Brand A and Brand B, so that I can tell the difference between them.

Which Brand of Bubble Gum

Blows the Biggest Bubble?

Example of what your graph might look like:

Bubble Size in cm

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

Trial #
Which Brand of Bubble Gum Blows the Biggest Bubble?

Evaluate Results: Which brand of gum is the best at blowing bubbles?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Mr. Saucedo

3.

Science

______________________________________________________________________
Follow Up Questions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1) What was the independent variable (what were you changing in the experiment)?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2) What was the dependent variable (what were you measuring in the experiment)?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3) There were hardly any constants in this experiment. What are two things that you
would have liked to have kept constant in this experiment to make it more accurate?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4) Would your conclusion be considered a theory? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Mr. Saucedo

4.

Science