This week, the children in Year 4 turned into budding scientists as they carried out a fun science experiment to explore how temperature affects the rate at which chocolate melts.

To find out, we tested in three different conditions:

• Boiling water
• Warm water
• Cold water

Predictions:

Before we began, the children made their predictions. Many guessed that the chocolate in boiling water would melt the fastest and the cold water would take the longest. Some even wondered if the chocolate in cold water would melt at all.

Each group was given small piece of chocolate and we placed them into foil trays. We then floated the trays onto of another tray filled with boiling, warm or cold water. With stopwatches in hand and our results tables ready, the children carefully recorded the time it took for the chocolate to melt in each tray. 

Our results:

The experiment confirmed our hypotheses:

• Boiling water melted the chocolate in just a few minutes.
• Warm water took a bit longer, but the chocolate still melted fairly well.
• Cold water? Well, let’s just say it was a long wait… the chocolate didn’t fully melt at all!

Key learning: 

After conducting our experience we discussed how heat energy speeds up the melting process. We talked about how heat causes the particles in the chocolate to move faster, breaking it down from a solid into a liquid. The chocolate had changed state from a solid to a liquid.