{"id":522,"date":"2022-10-27T22:14:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T04:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firstdrafts.net\/physicalscience\/?p=522"},"modified":"2023-02-09T11:59:56","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T18:59:56","slug":"popping-popcorn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firstdrafts.net\/physicalscience\/popping-popcorn\/","title":{"rendered":"popping popcorn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a typical class or Friday night, I’ll pop popcorn and wonder: What happens to the stuff of the popcorn kernel as it is transformed into the morsel of popped corn that I can eat?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Those two “states” of the corn are really different. One I can eat easily, the other seems impossible and would break my teeth. So what happens to that stuff as it’s heated? In particular, does the stuff that’s there stay the same or does it change? I know that it’s different in some way, but how do I model the matter of this popcorn and where it goes (or stays)? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are probably lots of great models and lots of great ways to think about this. As you do, you could use your model to predict if the kernel changes its mass as it is popped, or does it stay the same? And, if it does change, does it get more or less massive? And, regardless of what happens, what does that tell us? How do our models help explain what’s going on as popcorn is popped?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I documented this mini-investigation in a video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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