Research Paper Ideas for Science Projects With Popcorn
Popcorn may be a delicious treat, but it can also help you get an "A" on your next assignment or even bring home the gold at the science fair. From seeing which brand of popcorn leaves the most unpopped kernels to determining what makes popcorn pop, there are numerous popcorn science fair projects that are worthy of a science fair project and research paper, and that won't let you go hungry as you complete them.
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How are Popcorn Brands Different?
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A fun and enlightening science fair project involves comparing two brands of popcorn to see which has more kernels, which leaves more kernels unpopped, which has the largest kernels or which takes the longest to pop. In each case, the experiment is set up the same. Buy a bag of popcorn from each brand and make sure all of the elements of the experiment are the same except for the element you're testing. For instance, if you wanted to see which brand of popcorn took the longest to pop, you would have to make sure to have the same amount of popcorn for each brand and use the same heat source and temperature. Once you've concluded the experiment, write your research paper not only on the results but on the scientific processes you used to get there. These experiments are great tools to use to discuss the scientific method, experiment design or measuring. For instance, you can write a research paper on how to design an experiment, then use the popcorn experiment you conducted as an example.
How Does Temperature Affect Popcorn?
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Most of us know that when popcorn gets hot, it pops. But you may want to find out how hot it has to be to pop, or if anything happens to popcorn that is very cold. To answer these questions, construct a science fair project that tests what happens to popcorn kernels under various temperature conditions. Be sure to carefully observe and record your results. Then, when it's time to do your research paper, perform supplemental research to determine why popcorn pops, if any other substances have similar properties and what heat extremes do to other foods.
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What Makes Popcorn Pop?
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Although corn gives it its taste, water gives popcorn its popping properties. A possible science experiment is to read about how popcorn pops, then do several experiments to test that knowledge. For instance, Education World recommends putting a single kernel into a test tube, covering the tube with punctured foil and holding it over a candle. The steam that comes out will prove there is water inside the kernel. However, once you know water is why popcorn pops, you can test how that water acts under certain conditions, like when holes have been punched in the kernels or when they have been heated. When you write your research paper about this experiment, you can dedicate a portion to discussing how popcorn pops, how you designed your experiments to test or explain this property and what this suggests about water and its properties.
How Does Popcorn Change?
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A fascinating aspect of science is observing how things change. To determine how popcorn changes, you can compare it to a similar substance, like a kernel of corn-on-the-cob or an unpopped kernel. Place both samples in a jar or beaker for the same amount of time--a few days, weeks or months. Observe the two items each day, smelling and touching them as well as looking. Keep a record of how they've changed. Next, research those changes for your research paper. Make sure to include why they occur.
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