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Gummy Bear Explosion

If only high school science had been this much fun. 

Vat19 shows us what happens when you drop a harmless little gummy bear into a vat of boiling potassium chlorate: Potassium Perchlorate Vs Potassium Chlorate

Gummy Bear Explosion

An online lecture demo from the University of Massachusetts Amherst explains that "the thermal decomposition of potassium chlorate produces potassium chloride and an excess of oxygen, which is sufficient to ignite the gummy bear."  The heat decomposes the potassium chlorate, which causes the combustion reaction.

But that's just a tiny gummy bear.

What about the world's largest gummy bear?

It's 5 pounds and the size of a human head, basically.

Don't try this at home.

Gummy Bear Explosion

Potassium Nitrate Vs Potassium Perchlorate You can watch the full video from Vat19 below: