Lollipop Lab Report

Jennifer Wilson
Chemistry 201-2
Mr. Schoudel

Introduction:
The scientific method is a key process when solving a problem in science. Questions, hypotheses, experiments, observations, gathering and analyzing data, and drawing a conclusion are all important steps in completing the scientific method. Our class has discussed this method and decided to construct an experiment that would follow the steps we outlined in the scientific method. The purpose of the lollipop experiment was to try to discover how many licks it takes to reach the tootsie filling of a tootsie pop. Our hypothesis was from Mr. Owl’s tootsie commercial, which stated that it takes exactly three licks to reach the chocolate filling of a tootsie pop. We found that there were many different variables that contributed to our experiment, such as the size of tongue, pressure of tongue when licking the lollipop, how one lick’s a lollipop, etc. There are many variables as well as limitations and restrictions that one must compromise with when testing a scientific question. As a class we did have some restrictions, such as time limit, space, and equipment. It was essential that we compromise and come up with an experiment that fit into the limitations of space and resources.


Hypothesis:
Our hypothesis was from Mr. Owl's tootsie commercial, which stated that it takes exactly three licks to reach the chocolate filling of a tootsie pop.

Materials:
• One tootsie pop for each student (15 lollipops)
• Multiple Glasses/Cups of water
• Students from each class (15)
• Stop watch to record time
• Pencil or pencil to record the data and results
• Controlled environment

Methods:
• Remove lollipop wrapper
• Take a sip of water (not a large gulp, but around 1 tablespoon of water)
• Lick the lollipop on one side for the entire time it takes to reach the chocolate center
• Count how many licks you take in three minutes
• Every three minutes take a sip of water
• Repeat steps 2 & 3 until you reach the chocolate filling of the tootsie pop

Data/Results:
Average Licks: 267.7
Median: 256
Mode: 312
Average of Mean, Median, & Mode: 278
Jennifer’s Results
Total # of licks: 261
Total Time: 8:30 Minutes

Discussion/ Analysis:
Our hypothesis for the lollipop lab was that it would take three licks to reach the chocolate filling of a tootsie pop. This is a false statement and is rarely every true due to the number of variables that are put into account. We discovered that it takes almost ninety times more licks to reach the center rather than three simple licks. Our entire class decided on taking sips of water every three minutes to keep our mouths moist, therefore making our experiment as consistent and accurate as possible. As a class we also decided to lick only one side of the lollipop and when that specific side displayed the chocolate filling, we had reached the center. We had a large debate about whether or not this was the more accurate lick. Many students said to put the entire lollipop in our mouth, while others said to just lick one side and keep it consistent.
To make our experiment more accurate, we could have put the entire lollipop in our mouths, which would represent the licks it took around the entire lollipop. Furthermore, we only took sips of water every three minutes. Our original time was five minutes, but we soon discovered that our mouth gets very dry and it is important to take a sip of water more frequently, to have an accurate experiment. There are also many variables to consider, such as the pressure one hits the lollipop, the type of lick, etc. If half of the class licked the lollipop on one side and the other lick the entire thing, but still keep the time consistent, we might have arrived at different averages. The main procedure that we would need to improve on is the type of lick and the speed at which you lick the lollipop.

Conclusion:
The lollipop experiment was a great way to begin the lesson on the scientific method. We were instructed to create a hypothesis, test our hypothesis, provide observations, gather and analyze date, and draw a conclusion. Although our hypothesis was incorrect we were able to identify several variables that had an affect on our experiment. In addition, we learned to compromise with our limitations and restrictions. In many situations there are always limitations and it is essential to compromise to carry out a successful experiment. During our experiment we noticed that students were reaching the center of the lollipop faster than others, which shows the pressure at which some licked the lollipop and the speed at which they licked. In an experiment like this, is it extremely difficult to come up with a perfect tester (in our conditions), which is why there were many variables to consider. Although we did not have many resources for this experiment, we had a lot of fun learning and working the scientific method.