Hooked on Science: Edible glass

Here's an experiment that will show you how a glassmaker creates glass.

Ingredients

-- 1 cup of sugar

-- Wooden spoon

-- Wax paper

-- Vegetable oil

-- Nonstick frying pan

Instructions

STEP 1: Spread the vegetable oil onto the wax paper.

STEP 2: Place the sugar into the frying pan and then set the pan on the burner at low heat.

STEP 3: Using the wooden spoon, stir the sugar slowly. Continue to stir the sugar as it turns brown.

STEP 4: Once all the sugar melts, pour the mixture onto the wax paper.

Explanation

The heat from the stove turned the sugar into edible glass. Glassmakers use the same process to turn sand into glass.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator for the Bootheel Youth Museum. Check out his Web site "Hooked On Science" at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@bootheelyouthmuseum.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.