Popcorn
by: Korney Aschoff
Purpose Statement:
The purpose of the experiment is to find out what kind of popcorn people would rather have Buttered, Salted and Plain.
Background Research:
Popcorn, also known as popping corn, is a corn that expands and pops up when heated. Popcorn is able to pop because the kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and starchy insides. When the kernel is heated pressure builds inside the kernel until it pops. When stored in perfect conditions popcorn will last forever it is unperishable.
Most popcorn is grown in the Corn Belt of the United States which includes states like Nebraska and Iowa. Popcorn needs 18-24 inches of moisture to grow each year. Popcorn is harvested with a combine when the stalk is brown and dry and the kernel is hard. Americans eat more than 13 billion quarts of popcorn per year which equals about 41 quarts per person.
Hypothesis:
My hypothesis is that people will like the buttered popcorn the best.
Materials:
Popcorn machine
Popcorn
1/8 cup of Butter
4 tsp. Salt
Oil
3 bowls
Blindfold
Variables:
IV: Type of popcorn
DV: Which popcorn People Like Best
CV: Amount of Popcorn, Same brand of Popcorn
Procedure:
Gather Materials
Make 3 separate batches of popcorn and place into bowls
Melt Butter and drizzle over 1 bowl popcorn, stir, label bowl as buttered.
Shake salt over top of 1 bowl of popcorn and stir, label bowl as salted.
Label bowl of plain popcorn.
Blindfold 1 person and have them taste 4 kernels of each type of popcorn.
Record which type of popcorn the person liked the best.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 with 9 more people.
Data:
Results:
The original purpose of this experiment was to find out what kind of popcorn people would rather have buttered, salted and plain. The results of the experiment were that most of the people liked the salted popcorn the best.
Conclusion:
My hypothesis was that people will like the buttered popcorn the best. The results indicate that my hypothesis was incorrect. Based on the results of this experiment I would tell people to eat salted popcorn. If I were to conduct this science fair project again I would add more butter to the buttered popcorn and give each person a drink of water between types of popcorn.
Acknowledgements:
Mrs. Hauptmann
Brady
Skylar
Vanessa
Freya
Zack
Chayse
Mrs. Cross
Mrs. Soden
Israhel
Mrs. Miller
Rayvin