Resumen de Popping Popcorn Kernels: Expanding Relevance with Linear Thinking
Jordan L. Fantini, Michael M. Fuson, Thomas A. Evans
Graphing skills and an understanding of linear relationships are developed in the context of popping of individual popcorn kernels. Introductory-level chemistry students determine mass changes as the result of popping along with the volume and density of the popcorn flakes produced. Graphs of mass and volume data and a digital picture of the popcorn flakes are used to test two hypotheses and their corollary: (i) flake and kernel masses are directly proportional, (ii) flake volume and kernel mass are directly proportional, and the corollary, flake density is a constant. The first hypothesis is confirmed. However, variability in flake density is a common result, apparently disconfirming the second hypothesis and the corollary. Thoughtful attention to the current understanding of the popping mechanism is required to account for the results.
