• Question: can u prove that you are a scientist and how do you make chewing gum

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by boss to Chia-Yu, Helen, Matthew, Matt H, Rhod on 14 Jun 2013.
      • Photo: Chia-Yu Lin

        Chia-Yu Lin answered on 14 Jun 2013:

        I consider myself as a scientist. I have designed some experiments to learn the knowledge from some phenomena. Also, I can use them for some applications.However, I am not familiar with making chewing gum, but I know it is rubber with artificial favor.

      • Photo: Matthew Hudson

        Matthew Hudson answered on 15 Jun 2013:

        I spend most days in a lab looking at experiments and chemicals. I am also often working with large aircraft engines! If you take a look at my profile you can see some pictures of me with some engines 🙂

        Chewing gum is actually reasonably easy to make. It’s based on ‘gum’ as you might expect! This actually started in Australia with the aboriginal people who chewed on the sticky sap of the Eucalyptus tree (also known as a Gum tree!). However, modern chewing gum is generally made from man-made materials such as soft latex, which is also used in clothing, so never swallow it!

        You then add your flavour, such as mint and some sugar and heat it all up to melt it all together.

        If you ask your teacher you might be able to get a ‘Chewing Gum making kit’ for your next science lesson and you can do it yourself! 🙂

      • Photo: Matt Carnie

        Matt Carnie answered on 15 Jun 2013:

        Good question Boss,

        Scientists are always trying to prove their theories “beyond any reasonable doubt”. To prove theories you need evidence. Seeing as I can’t provide you with any evidence, you’ll just have to take my word for it!

        Chewing gum is made from rubber, sweeteners and flavourings. Companies that make gum will employ food scientists to formulate their recipes.

        Make sure you put your gum in the bin!

      • Photo: Rhodri Jenkins

        Rhodri Jenkins answered on 17 Jun 2013:

        That is a hard question … but I think I can prove it.

        Science is about providing evidence for a hypothesis. The hypothesis “I am a scientist” needs reasonable evidence to assert the conclusion to be true. Here is some evidence, a video I took part in talking about the future of diesel and diesel trains (my bit’s around 2.30-3.00 mins)

        You can see me in a lab, with a lab coat on, doing labby things. Therefore I’m sure you will agree, I AM a scientist. 😀

        Chewing gum, these days, is made up of a sort of synthesised rubber. You can’t digest it (so I wouldn’t swallow it) and also I would try and throw it away in a bin, as it doesn’t easily degrade!

      • Photo: Helen Pritchard-Smith

        Helen Pritchard-Smith answered on 19 Jun 2013:

        A scientist is someone who has a question or theory, predicts what they think will happen and designs a rigorous (ideally full proof) experiment to test their theory.

        As part of my PhD i was given a small corner of science that had not previously been looked at and asked to design experiments that would probe this dark corner of knowledge in the hope i could throw some light on to the subject.

        I personally don’t make chewing gum but at Bristol university they have developed a biodegradable chewing gum called Rev7 that they are trying to make compulsory in Europe so that the streets don’t look so splotchy from people throwing gum on the floor.

    Comments