By Jill Dougher

The ACU Chemistry Club will burn Gummi Bears and freeze bananas at the 23rd annual Chemistry Circus on Friday in the Walling Lecture Hall at 6:30 p.m.

About a dozen demonstrations will be shown during the hour-long event.

Dr. Eric Hardegree, professor of chemistry, said students made ice cream out of liquid nitrogen for the audience to enjoy last year.

“It’s entertainment with an educational twist,” Hardegree said.

Candace Berrier, senior elementary education major from Fort Worth, attended the Chemistry Circus last year.

“It was really fun, and everyone should go if they have the opportunity,” Berrier said.

Students can expect an explosion of hydrogen balloons this year. Some are filled with colored gas, which creates a dramatic effect by glowing red, green or yellow when the lights are dim.

In another experiment, students use liquid nitrogen to freeze a banana – not a typical college science experiment.

“Most of these demonstrations are activities that science majors don’t normally do in labs,” said Kelsey Young, senior biochemistry major from Pago Pago, American Samoa. “So, even if you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t.”

Young said she likes to see people wowed by the demonstrations, especially children.

“It’s a fun opportunity to see chemistry in action,” she said. “ACU has great resources, and the public would be able to see things they wouldn’t normally see.”

Hardegree said the demonstrations, especially the explosions, will be handled with care, and safety equipment will be used.