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Geology Science Fair Project

Starburst Candy and the Rock Cycle

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Starburst Candy and the Rock Cycle | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does candy behave like real rock when you squeeze and heat it? Starburst candies are soft enough to reshape by hand. That makes them a good model for the forces that form rocks. You stack different-colored Starbursts to build sedimentary layers. Then you press them together with force to make metamorphic rock. Finally you heat and cool the candy to form igneous rock. Each step mirrors how the Earth changes one rock type into another.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the Starbursts can be models for rock formation by applying pressure and heat.

Method & Materials

You will start by unwrapping the Starbursts and cutting them into small pieces. First, you'll apply pressure to the Starbursts to form sedimentary rocks. Then, you'll apply both pressure and heat to transform them into metamorphic rocks. Finally, you'll heat them to a liquid state and cool them down to create igneous rocks.
You will need Starbursts candies, a microwave, a bowl, a spoon, a small container for the mold, and a refrigerator.

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Results

In this project, it was observed that the process of applying different degrees of heat and pressure to Starbursts can create different types of rocks, just like in the natural rock cycle.

Why do this project?

This science project is so interesting because it combines the fun of making candy with learning about geology and the rock cycle.

Also Consider

Experiment variations to consider are using different types of candies or using different heat and pressure levels to see how it affects the formation of the rocks. Another variation is to compare the Starburst rock formations to real rocks found in nature.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

Related video

These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
Discover how to use Starburst candies to make sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks!
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