Food Science in the Beginning Foods Class
Balancing Chewing Gum
Date _____________ P ____ K _____
Safety
Handle your gum only. When it is finished, put it in the trash can.
Do not swallow the gum. It is slowly digested
Do not allow your gum to touch any other surfaces.
Wash hands before and after lab
Procedure
Use the gum wrapper to weigh on and keep the scale clean.
Tare the gum wrapper.
Mass the regular gum (repeat this procedure for all members)
Chew gum for five minutes (use electronic kitchen timer)
Place the chewed gum on the weighing paper and mass it. Record the
mass below.
Subtract the mass of the chewed gum from the original mass of the gum
and record the difference.
Repeat the above procedure for sample gum #2
Choose one member to document your findings :
Lab member Gum sample Initial Mass Final Mass Mass
name #1 Lost/Gained
Gum Sample
# 2.
When you are finished, deposit all gum in the trash can, wash your hands.
Complete the individual questions on the handout. Turn in your lab sheet on the
top with all individual answers stapled together behind for a lab grade.
Complete INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE TESTING
1) What do you expect will happen to the weight of your gum? Will it gain or
lose weight? Why?
Complete INDIVIDUALLY AFTER TESTING
2) After the teacher tells you what brand of gum you have chewed, compare
the difference between sample #1 and sample #2. Which type of gum had
a greater loss of mass after chewing? Why?
3) What do you think you “swallowed” while you were chewing?
4) Was there a difference in texture between gum #1 and gum #2? Why?
5) Sugar has 4 calories per gram. How many calories do you estimate are in
one stick of gum? __________ Now read the label __________
6) Why do dieticians suggest that chewing sugar-free gum might be a good
“help” if you are trying to eat less food every day for health or weight
control?
7) Do some quick math. Using the nutrition facts from the label, calculate
how many calories you would ingest if you ate:
a. One stick of sugar gum per day for one year _________
b. Three sticks of sugar gum per day for one year _________
c. Ten sticks of sugar gum per day for one year ___________
8) Using your answers from question #7- One pound of fat is created when
you have eaten 3500 extra calories more than you have used in energy.
How much weight would you gain in one year for each of those answers?