Purchase a package of hair extensions from a local beauty supply store. For the most accurate results, you'll have to purchase real human hair. The hair extension will be one long -- about 12 inches long -- hair weft. Cut the hair weft into five equal pieces, or enough to have one hair piece for each method of removal, plus one extra for your control group. Chew up a piece of bubble gum for each hair piece, then smear it into each piece really well. Let it sit for about 30 before attempting to remove the gum.
Smear about one tbsp. of peanut butter over the gum piece and the surrounding hair. Rub the peanut butter throughout the hair, working it into the gum. Rubbing your peanut butter fingers through the affected area, try to separate as much hair as your can from the gum ball. Gently comb the peanut butter through the hair to help remove the gum. Continue to work the peanut butter in and combing it out until the gum is completely gone. You should record how long it took you from start to finish to remove the gum entirely. You may also want to record how many comb strokes it took to remove the gum.
Choose cooking oil that you have in your home for your project; any cooking oil, such as canola, coconut, olive or vegetable will work. Saturate the gum ball with oil. Work the oil into the gum ball and the affected hair with your fingers. Allow the oil to set into the gum ball for about 15 minutes. Comb the gum ball out the hair slowly. Record how long it took you to remove the gum ball, and how many comb strokes were needed to remove the gum ball.
Apply one tbsp. of mayonnaise to the gum ball in the hair extension. Like the peanut butter and cooking methods, work the mayonnaise into the hair using your fingers to penetrate the gum ball. Also, rub the mayonnaise to the hair surround the gum ball. Comb the gum ball out of the hair extension. Record how long it took to completely remove the gum ball, and record how many comb strokes were needed to remove the gum ball.
Another method of removing gum from hair is freezing it. Apply several ice cubes to the hair extension, directly on top of the gum ball. Let the ice sit on the gum ball until the gum ball has hardened. This can take about 15 to 20 minutes. Once hardened, comb the gum ball out of the hair. If the gum ball is too hard to comb out, you can simply crumble it in your hand to remove, then comb out any that remains. Record your findings as you have done with the other methods.
Take "before" pictures of the hair extensions and of the extensions with bubble gum smeared in them. Then take pictures of the process of removing the gum in the ways listed above. When finished, pin each de-gummed hair extension to a poster board, and then glue your before pictures around the extensions to show the process of removing the gum. As with most experiments, you will also need a control group. For your control group, smear gum in a hair extension and simply try to remove it yourself, without any help from a substance. Post this hair extension and before pictures on your poster board, as well.