Tootsie Pops – for Science!

19 Feb

Okay, so given some of the responses I’ve gotten in other forums, I’m going to put this out there as a possible example of crowd-sourcing.

My students need YOU to lick tootsie pops for science!

Research Question: How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?

Methodology:

  • Each tester takes one tootsie pop of a randomized flavor.
  • Tester records the flavor of the pop.
  • Tester begins licking, recording each lick. (“Lick” is defined as a swipe of the tongue, bottom-to-top, applied to the smooth side of the pop.)
  • Tester continues licking and counting on a single side until the tootsie is exposed (determined by either flavor or texture change).
  • The tester may not eat or drink while licking (must wait five minutes after drinking or eating before commencing the test). The tester should not pause in the process. The tester should not put the pop entirely in the mouth.
  • Please report flavor and number of licks by commenting on this post – if you are so inclined, you may include gender and approximate age (10 or under, 10-15, 15-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60, 60+).