Mixing Matter – The Chocolate Chip Cookie Experiment

As we come to the conclusion of our States of Matter Unit, students apply their knowledge and make hypotheses regarding the mixing of solids, liquids, gases, and the application of heat in baking chocolate chip cookies. Students quickly observed reversible and irreversible changes that took place:

• The flour and sugar went through an irreversible change of state and could not  be separated to flour and sugar again
• Blending of different solids and liquids changed the smell of the gas that came from the mixture
• The chocolate chips did not change state until heat was added. Students quickly observed that the chocolate chips could be reversed to their initial state when the cookies cooled.
• The blending of states of matter is necessary to make delicious cookies!