Hypothesis of what makes popcorn pop

Follow the directions on the bag to prepare the microwave popcorn. When the popcorn is finished popping, place the popped kernels in a bowl. Count the unpopped kernels and record. Repeat Steps 2 — 3 for each of the different types of microwave popcorn. Record the results. Conclusion: My conclusion is that the popcorn stored at room temperature did not pop the greater amount of kernels. The storage temperature did not affect the amount of kernels popped. My results indicate that popcorn stored at room temperature popped that same amount of kernels stored in the freezer and refrigerator.

Our hulless popcorn kernels are the closest thing to kernel-free popcorn around, and, as an added bonus, they're GMO-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, milk-free, kosher and percent whole grain. It is believed that the first use of wild and early cultivated corn was popping. The oldest ears of popcorn ever found were discovered in the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico in and Act ii had a total of kernels and 2 were un. Perfect Popcorn The Internet-approved tip is as follows: Soak popcorn kernels in water for 10 minutes, then drain and pop as normal.

The theory is that the extra moisture helps produce fluffier puffs. Once you feel comfortable with the idea of popping something other than corn, start branching out. Amaranth seeds pop really nice and even quicker than popcorn. Once you've got amaranth and quinoa popped, you can really start to experiment with grains and seeds like barley, wheat berries and millet.

The starch or endosperm is the white part of the popped kernel and the pericarp or hull is the darker, flaky bit at the center of the kernel.

Popping popcorn is not a chemical reaction. It is a physical reaction. All that is changed is the appearance of the popcorn kernel. They use a stove top or a microwave oven. That could make a difference. When corn sits on a baking sheet inside a standard oven, the heat bathes a kernel from all sides. In a pan on the stove, the bottom of the pot which makes contact with a flame or electric burner will be far hotter than the air above it. And this could mean it heats — and pops — faster.

That was my own hypothesis — an idea that I could test. So I hypothesized that those white kernels should pop first. I assembled my equipment: a stove, small scale, pot, cooking oil, timer, infrared thermometer — and, of course, some popcorn. That infrared thermometer measures the heat, or thermal radiation , released from a surface. Infrared thermometers are easy to find and use.

Next, I weighed out one gram of white corn, and another gram of yellow. Then, I counted how many kernels were in each gram. If you do it just once, you will never know if the differences you saw between test groups here white and yellow corn were likely due to chance.

I consulted a chart specifically, Table 2 in this link to find out how many times I would need to run my experiment to find a difference between the kernels, if one really exists. The chart suggested I should weigh each type of corn 26 times.

So I ran a preliminary experiment — a short trial. It could tell me if my idea might work with more testing. I weighed five different random grams of corn. I counted how many kernels were in each gram. From that, I could determine how much, on average, each kernel weighed. Each yellow kernel was around a sixth of a gram. And as a nutrition coach, I definitely recommend homemade popcorn as a healthy snack.

Popcorn is very nutrient-dense with high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants. Polyphenols are micronutrients found in plant-based food that can neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce inflammation. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details. My kids loved the anticipation and squealed in joy when the popping started.

They are amazed at how the popped kernels take up so much more space than the unpopped ones. Therefore, less pressure is built up inside the kernel, which makes it either not pop at all or reduces the flake size after popping. With the last popcorn batch that you preheated in the oven you should have seen a similar outcome. The kernels probably changed color and turned from yellow to brown during heating.

The flake size should have also been smaller compared to the regular popcorn kernels. It did not create enough vapor pressure to burst the hull, rather the water escaped the kernel through tiny pores in the hull. Because of this reduced water content, the pressure couldn't build up as high in the preheated kernels, compared to the regular kernels during the popping process, which ultimately leads to smaller kernels.

If the water percentage in the kernel is too low, the kernels won't pop at all because there is not enough pressure buildup. You should have easily seen the difference in popcorn size and volume once you put the kernels into the glasses at the end of the activity. Cleanup Clean all your dishes.

Make sure to let the oil in the pot cool down before you add any water to it. You can eat—and share—all of your popped popcorn. This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies. Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Materials Adult helper Stove Pot with lid Vegetable oil Heat-resistant bowl with a lid Oven mitts Teaspoon Unpopped popcorn at least 70 kernels Sharp knife Three small cylindrical glasses Scale that can measure 0.

Ask an adult helper to carefully crack open the hull of all 20 kernels from one pile with a sharp knife. This is best done by making a deep cut into the softer white part at the tip of the kernel.

The kernel should be kept whole not split into pieces but the hull should be cracked. Set your oven to degrees F. Place one pile of 20 uncracked popcorn kernels into a heat-resistant bowl and put them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Use the oven mitts when you take them out. Let them cool down to room temperature afterward. How do the kernels look when they come out of the oven? Did the appearance of the kernels change? Keep the last piles of kernels as they are. With the help of an adult put the pot on the stove and add two teaspoons of vegetable oil into the pot.

Turn on the stove and set it to high. Make sure you never work on the stove without adult supervision. Put three of the extra popcorn kernels not from your three piles into the pot, close the lid and wait until they pop.