Re: Q: what happens when you put a gummy bear in potassium chlorate?
its a reaction between Potassium Chlorate and Sugar.
The sugar burns in the presence of oxygen. The flame is purple from the heating of the potassium.
and no Potassium Chlorate is not just a simple chemical. It reacts vigorously, and in some cases spontaneously ignites or explodes, when mixed with many combustible materials (wiki) e.g. sugar in this case.