Today in Nile Room we were investigating why popcorn pops. After we had thought about it we each came up with our own hypothesis.
Here are some of our ideas:
“...the pressure of the heat builds up until it bursts with a crunchy edible shell...”
“...the heat and pressure causes the kernel to expand and explode. When the inside expands, the kernel splits.”
“I think that when popcorn heats up the popcorn starts over expanding and inside it starts exploding and turns it into popcorn.”
“...warm air starts to get bigger and bigger in the inside of the kernel. The hotter it gets the bigger it gets then it splits and pop! There’s your popcorn.”
After we had shared some of our ideas we watched this video that explains what actually makes popcorn pop:
Most of our hypotheses were pretty close to being correct.
The key point we learnt from the video was that a kernel of popcorn contains 14% water. It is the water in the kernel the causes it to pop. When then kernel is heated up, the water turns to steam and eventually the pressure from the steam causes the kernel to pop.
After we learnt about what makes popcorn pop we got to see the process in action. We made a big batch of popcorn and then tasted it!
Popcorn is good!
ReplyDeletePopcorn rocks! Some people use popcorn as a environmentally sound alternative to foam packing peanuts, when sending things through the post!
ReplyDeleteI have never had peanuts arrive in my packaged parcels of pineapple, pizza's and purple potatoes!
ReplyDelete