Sticky physics of joy: on the dissolution of spherical candies

Assuming a constant mass decrease per unit surface and unit time we provide a very simplistic model for the dissolution process of spherical candies. The aim is to investigate the quantitative behaviour of the dissolution process throughout the act of eating the candy. In our model we do not take any microscopic mechanism of the dissolution process into account, but rather provide an estimate which is based on easy-to-follow calculations. Having obtained a description based on this calculation, we confirm the assumed behaviour by providing experimental data for the dissolution process. Besides a deviation from our prediction caused by the production process of the candies below a diameter of 2 mm, we find good agreement with our model-based expectations. Delicate questions on the optimal strategy for enjoying a candy will be addressed, such as whether it is wise to split the candy by breaking it with the teeth or not.