The Chemistry of S’mores

On Thursday, December 15th, STEM Sorority members got together to celebrate the holidays by roasting marshmallows over a Bunsen burner to make s’mores. Not only was this a fun event to celebrate the last couple days of school before winter break, but also a chance to explore another example of science in our lives.

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Heating a marshmallow over a flame is a chemical endothermic reaction. Members observed that as the sugar crystals on the surface of the marshmallow were heated, the hydrogen and oxygen molecules were replaced by carbon, which turned the marshmallow black if exposed for too long. Similarly, as the marshmallow was placed with the chocolate, the chocolate melted, another endothermic reaction.

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After hanging out, eating s’mores, and talking science, we concluded our last meeting of 2022.