What’s Up, Marshmallow Head?
What are marshmellows really made of, besides the most delicous substance on earth? What makes them so infinitely tasty? What secrets are locked in that squishy piece of happiness? Here’s a golden chance to find out!
- A large marshmallow
- A magic marker
- A glass bottle with a mouth that is larger than the marshmallow.
- A bit of modeling clay
- A plastic straw
- Draw a face on the marshmallow. Place it in the glass jar.
- Wrap clay around the end of the straw, so that it is 1 inch from the end. Place the short end of the straw in the bottle and seal the bottle with clay. Be certain that there are no leaks in the seal.
- Now, facing a mirror so that you can watch the face on the marshmallow, begin sucking the air out of the bottle. What happens to the marshmallow?
- Now, stop sucking the straw– what happens now?
What Happened?
One of the cool things about marshmallows is that they are squishy. The reason that they squish is that they are filled with tiny air bubbles. When you suck on the straw, the air leaves the bottle, lowering the air pressure, which causes the marshmallow to expand. When you release the straw, the air pressure goes back up, and the shrunken face returns back to normal.















