Structural Model of JELL-O on Molecular Level

Objective
You will build a molecular-level model of how gelatin forms a soft elastic gel
upon cooling. This model replicates on the macroscopic scale many of the properties of
JELL-O (and thus of any gelatin) on the molecular scale.

Materials
1-5 packages of long pipe cleaners; the actual number needed depends upon
number of students (these can be purchased in large packages from a craft store)

Procedure
Each student should have ~20 pipe cleaners.

Make a bundle with three pipe cleaners (call them strands) and twist them around
each other 2-3 times to form right-handed braid; there should be pieces of arbitrary length
hanging off each end of the braid. The three strands should be twisted tightly enough to
hold together. Then take two more strands and twist them together with one of the
strands hanging off the first braid, giving five pipe cleaners linked together by two right-
handed braids. Or, take one more strand and twist it together with two of the hangin
strands, giving you four pipe cleaners linked together. Continue this process with all of
the pipe cleaners, randomly adding one or two pipe cleaners to your structure. Do not
make a regular structure: be random and arbitrary (this is essential for the accuracy
of the model.) Each student should then have a random “structure” composed of about
20 pipe cleaners linked together by twisted braids of three strands each. You should then
begin to link together these individual structures by taking 3 strands (one from one
structure and two from the other) and twisting them together as before. Continue this
process until the class has made a single large structure. This structure should be
irregular in shape and have approximately equal height, width, and depth. (Bend it back
upon itself and make more braids to make this happen.)

This irregular bundle of pipe cleaners is a good molecular model for JELL-O.
Each individual strand (pipe cleaner) represents an individual polymer of the gelatin
polypeptide. The twisted braids represent the triple helical crosslinks that hold gelatin
together. These crosslinks form at low temperature; that is why gelatin gels in the
refrigerator.
Discussion
What are the properties of JELL-O (of gelatin):
It jiggles: it is a soft solid that shakes when it is moved.
It is soft: it does not take much effort to deform it.
It is elastic: when you push on it, it springs back like a rubber ball.
It supports its own weight even though it is mostly (99%) water.
It is transparent.

The model also has these properties

Shake the model: it jiggles.
Push on the model: it does not take much effort to deform it.
Push on the model and let go: it springs back
It supports its own weight even though it is mostly air.
You can see through the model.
Amino acid structure in gelatin (collagen) polymer.

Space filling model of

molecular structure of gelatin
triple helix.
Model for dissolution and gelation of gelatin in water.