I was just microwaving some popcorn -- one of my favorite snacks. I can
never get all the kernels to pop. Microwave the bag longer, and the popcorn
starts to burn. This has been a problem I've notices for decades....
Finally, does anyone do a popcorn lab when teaching about heat? I'm
interested is doing something different with my students next year. Maybe
mass the seeds, pop them, then re-mass to find the air content?
Popcorn labs have been done in HS chem and physics labs for a long time --
lots of them on line if you do a search. Some measure % of water, others
what % of kernels pop, size of popped v kernel size - lots to choose from.
Biggest problem is that students want to eat the popcorn and if you run a
lab with no eating as per OSHA (as well as common sense safety) forethought
is needed...
Holly