Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
The Amount of Water Lost during Popcorn Popping
Problem Statement:
To find the amount of water in a popcorn kernel by measuring the mass before and after
popping.
Hypothesis:
If a popcorn kernel is popped, then 20% of the mass will be lost, due to the loss of water
during popping.
Materials:
Hot Plate
125 mL Erlenmeyer flask
Rubber Stopper
Test Tube Tongs
Analytical Scale (0.0001 precision)
12 micro well plate
Popcorn kernels from Meijer
Procedures:
1.
Randomly select 10 popcorn kernels and place them, one kernel in each micro well, on
the twelve micro well plate. Place two extra kernels in the two extra micro wells. These
extra kernels will be used to replace any burnt, scorched, or incompletely popped kernels.
2.
Measure the mass of the 10 popcorn kernels and record the data.
3.
Drop one popcorn kernel in the Erlenmeyer flask. Put the rubber stopper on the flask.
4.
Turn the hot plate on and set it to the ‘high’ setting.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
5.
Place the Erlenmeyer flask with the popcorn kernel on the hot plate.
6.
Using the test tube tongs, grasp the top of the flask and apply some movement to the flask
to make sure the popcorn kernel doesn’t burn or get scorched. If the popcorn kernel does
get stuck to the bottom of the flask, take the flask off the hot plate (using the test tube
tongs) and use a pencil to unstick the kernel.
7.
When the kernel pops, take the flask off the hot plate using the test tube tongs and
remove the stopper. Tip the flask over and pour the popped kernel in its designated well
in the micro well plate.
8.
Repeat steps 3-5 for the other ten popcorn kernels.
9.
After the popping is done measure the mass of the popped kernels and record the data.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
Diagram:
Hot Plate
Erlenmeyer
Flask
125 mL
Analytical Scale
(0.0001 Precision)
Popcorn Kernels
from Meijer
Rubber Stopper
Test Tube Tongs
12 Micro Well Plate
Figure 1. Materials
Figure 1 shows all the materials that were used to perform this lab. The materials
used in this lab were Meijer brand Popcorn Kernels, a Hot Plate, 125 mL Erlenmeyer Flask,
Analytical Scale (0.0001 Precision), Test Tube Tongs, 12 Micro Well Plate, and a Rubber
Stopper.
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10A
9/23/13
Data and Observations:
Table 1
Observations of Water Loss during Popcorn Popping
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Observations
Scorched and burned. Restarted with new kernel.
Trial was conducted with no complications.
Trial was conducted with no complications.
Kernel incompletely popped. Restarted with new kernel.
Trial was conducted with no complications.
Kernel partially scorched. Restarted with new kernel.
Trial was conducted with no complications.
Trial went fine.
Flask broke. Used new flask and restarted trial. Kernel popped with no
complications.
Trial was conducted with no complications.
The more time the kernel was left with no movement the more likely it was to get
scorched. The more movement applied to the kernel, the better it popped. Scorched and burned
kernels were thrown away because more substances than just water escaped the kernel.
Incompletely popped kernels were thrown away because all the water did not escape.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
Figure 2. Micro Well Plate with Popped Kernels
Figure 2 above shows a Micro Well Plate with 12 wells. 10 of these wells were filled
with popped popcorn kernels. Each popcorn kernel had its designated well that it had to stay in.
Otherwise, the data would get mixed up.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
Table 2
Mass Lost during Popcorn Popping
Kernel
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Sum∑
Mean x̅
Mass Before (g)
0.1779
0.1789
0.1410
0.1277
0.1776
0.1802
0.1871
0.1147
0.1533
0.2051
1.6435
0.1644
Mass After (g)
0.1610
0.1570
0.1288
0.1151
0.1602
0.1609
0.1679
0.1014
0.1351
0.1850
Mass Loss (g)
0.0169
0.0219
0.0122
0.0126
0.0174
0.0193
0.0192
0.0133
0.0182
0.0201
0.1711
0.0171
% Mass Loss
9.5
12.2
8.7
9.9
9.8
10.7
10.3
11.6
11.9
9.8
104.3
10.4
Table 2 shows the mass before the kernels were popped and the mass after the kernel was
popped. The table also shows the percent of mass lost during the popping of the kernels. The
sum of the mass before popping was 1.6435 g. The mean of the mass before popping was
0.1644 g . The sum of the mass loss was 0.1711 g. The mean of the mass loss was 0.0171 g.
The sum of the % of mass loss was 104.3%. The mean of the mass loss is 10.4%. This means
that, on average, each kernel lost 10.4% of its mass. Each kernel, on average, lost 0.0171 g. The
amount of water in each kernel on average was 0.0171 g. On average 10.4% of a popcorn
kernel’s mass is composed of water.
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9/23/13
Table 3
Standard Deviation of the Data
Kernels
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Σ (sum)
S=
Mass Before
(xi)
(g)
0.1779
0.1789
0.1410
0.1277
0.1776
0.1802
0.1871
0.1147
0.1533
0.2051
% Mass Loss
(xpl)
(g)
9.5%
12.2%
8.7%
9.9%
9.8%
10.7%
10.3%
11.6%
11.9%
9.8%
0.0288
1.2%
(xi - 𝑥̅)
(g)
0.0136
0.0146
-0.0234
-0.0367
0.0133
0.0159
0.0228
-0.0497
-0.0111
0.0408
0.0000
(xi - 𝑥̅)²
(g)
0.0002
0.0002
0.0005
0.0013
0.0002
0.0003
0.0005
0.0025
0.0001
0.0017
0.0075
(xpl- 𝑥̅)
(%)
(xpl- 𝑥̅)²
(%)
-0.9
1.8
-1.8
-0.6
-0.6
0.3
-0.2
1.2
1.4
-0.6
0.0
Table 3 shows the standard deviation for the data that was collected. Both the sums of
the deviation from the mean are 0. The standard deviation for mass before popping was
0.0288 g. The standard deviation for % of mass loss was 1.2%.
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 − 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠
0.1779 - 0.1610 = 0.0169
Figure 3. Formula and Sample Calculation for Mass Loss
Figure 3 above shows the change in mass, or the mass loss. This was obtained by
subtracting the mass after the popcorn kernel was popped from the original mass of the popcorn
kernel before popping.
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0.0087
0.0328
0.0316
0.0032
0.0040
0.0008
0.0003
0.0136
0.0208
0.0040
0.1197
Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
(𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 / 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒)100 = %𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠
(0.0169 / 0.1779)100 =9.5%
Figure 4. Formula and Sample Calculation for % Mass Loss
Figure 4 above shows the % Mass Loss. This was calculated by dividing the mass loss
by the mass before. This was then multiplied by 100 to get the % Mass Loss.
𝛴𝑥
𝑛
=𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛(𝑥̅)
1.6435/10 = 0.1644
Figure 5. Formula and Sample Calculation for Mean(x)
The figure above shows the mean for the mass of the kernels before popping. This was
calculated by dividing the sum of the mass of the kernels by the number of trials.
(𝑥̅𝑖 − 𝑥̅) = 𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛
0.1779 - 0.1644 = 0.0136
Figure 6. Formula and Sample Calculation for Deviation from Mean
Figure 6 above shows the Deviation from the Mean. This was calculated by subtracting
the mean of the kernels before popping form the mass before popping.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
√
𝛴(𝑥𝑖 −𝑥)2
𝑛−1
= Standard Deviation
√0.0075 = 0.0288
Figure7. Formula and Sample Calculation for Standard Deviation
Figure 7 above shows the standard deviation for the mass of the popcorn kernels before
popping. This was calculated by finding the deviations from the mean squaring and them. After
the deviations are squared they area added together this is the sum of the deviations squared.
The sum of the deviations squared is then divided by the number of data points minus one.
Afterwards, the square root of the whole equation is found. This is the standard deviation.
.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
Data Analysis and Interpretation:
The type of data that was collected was sample data. A small amount of kernels (10)
were popped and measured. The data was collected by measuring the mass of the kernels before
and after popping. The sample was picked at random from a bag of popcorn kernels. This was a
Mass After
Mass Before
comparative experiment that compared mass of un-popped kernels to popped kernels.
0.1410
Q1
0.17775
Median
0.1147
Min
0.2051
Max
0.1288
Q1
0.1014
Min
0.1802
Q3
0.1586
Median
0.1610
Q3
0.1850
Max
18
Mass (g)
Figure 8. Mass Before and After Popping the Popcorn Kernels
The figure above shows the mass before and after popping the popcorn kernels. The
figure above shows two box plots. One is of the mass before the popcorn was popped and the
second is of the mass after the popcorn was popped. The five number summary for the mass
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
before the popcorn was popped was 0.1147 g, 0.1410 g, 0.17775 g, 0.1802 g, and 0.2051 g. The
five number summary for the mass after the kernels were popped was 0.1014 g, 0.1288 g, 0.1586
g, 0.1610, and 0.1850 g. By looking at the graphs, it is obvious that there was significant mass
lost by popping the popcorn kernels.
9.8
Q1
10.1
11.6
Median Q3
8.7
Min
12.2
Max
Percent of Mass Loss ( %)
Figure 9.Percent of Mass Loss from Popping the Popcorn Kernel
The figure above shows the percent of mass loss form popping the popcorn kernel. The
figure above shows a box plot for the percent of mass loss. The five number summary for the
percent of mass loss by popping the popcorn kernel was 8.7 %, 9.8 %, 10.1 %, 11.6 %, and
12.2%.
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Ahmed-Basith
10A
9/23/13
Conclusion:
The original hypothesis, “If a popcorn kernel is popped, then it will lose 20% of its mass
due to the loss of water during popcorn popping”, was rejected. The popcorn kernel actually lost
10.4% of its mass on average. The mass lost was the water vapor escaping the kernel during
popping. The water is in the kernel before heat is applied. When heat is applied, energy is added
to the water molecules and the water molecules start moving faster and collide with the hull of
the kernel. When enough energy is added, the water vapor bursts the hull of the kernel and
escapes, causing the starch to rapidly expand and create the flowering formation that is common
to popcorn. However, the energy in the water vapor is not lost. According to the Law of
Conservation of Energy, energy is not lost, but is transferred.
The mass of the popcorn kernel was measured before it was popped and then measured
again after the kernel was popped. The average mass of the kernels before they were popped
was 0.1644 g. The average amount of mass lost was 0. 0171 g. On average, each kernel lost
10.4% of its initial mass. It can be concluded that, on average, each kernel has 0.0171 mL of
water. It can be concluded that, on average, 10.4% of the mass of each kernel is water.
One way to improve this lab would be to use more kernels in order to get a wider range
of data. The amount of kernels used in this lab was 10. If the amount of kernels was 100, or
1000, it would allow for more accurate data measurements. Some of the errors in this experiment
were un-popped or burned kernels.
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