Dennis Wrin Professor Connelly BIO 101

Lab Report: Popcorn Experiment

Introduction One of the first uses of wild corn is believed to be for popping. An ancient method for popping corn was to heat up sand and then stir the kernels into the hot sand. While the methods have changed over time, popcorn is still a popular snack; Americans alone consume 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year (The Popcorn Board, 2011). The two brands used in the experiment were Pop Secret as Popcorn A, and Pop Weaver as Popcorn B. The purpose of this experiment will be to determine if Popcorn A is better than Popcorn B. The chosen hypothesis was that Popcorn A will have less unpopped kernels and larger popped kernels because its ads claim this. Methods and Materials First the group obtained a package each of Popcorn A and Popcorn B. Both bags of popcorn were microwaved for one minute and thirty-five seconds each, and then we dumped the entire contents of the packages onto separate labeled paper towels. The group then proceeded by counting and recording the number of unpopped kernels, and the average size of twenty popped kernels from each bag. Controls used in testing for this experiment were ensuring use of the same microwave for both packages and using the same microwave cooking time. The experimental variable for this test was comparison of two different brands of popcorn. Results

When comparing the class results it was consistent for all four groups that Popcorn B had less unpopped kernels and in most cases significantly less. The group data for the size of the popped kernels was much less consistent. Our group (Group 1) found no difference in the average size measured. The remaining groups did record a measurable difference in average size with Groups 2 and 4 finding Popcorn A to be larger, and Group 3 reporting Popcorn B to be larger. Group Results for Popcorn Experiment Group # Criteria #Unpopped Kernels Group 1 Size of Popped Kernels (cm) #Unpopped Kernels Group 2 Size of Popped Kernels (cm) #Unpopped Kernels Group 3 Size of Popped Kernels (cm) #Unpopped Kernels Group 4 Size of Popped Kernels (cm) 3.1 2.4 2.5 54 3 12 2.5 23 2.2 8 2.7 17 2.7 3 Popcorn A 31 Popcorn B 24

The table above shows all recorded data for the four class groups. Conclusions If you compare the results for the four class groups it is clear that Popcorn B unanimously had less unpopped kernels in each package than the other brand. When comparing the size of the average popped kernel, Popcorn A was found by more than one

group to be larger. Due to the unaligned results for average size it is unclear which popcorn brand can be considered belter. While the group results for the experiment varied, it is clear that none of the four groups found Popcorn A to have BOTH less unpopped kernels and to have larger popped kernels. One source of error with this experiment that can be noted was the way the popped kernels were measured. Finding a uniform way for measuring the popcorn in centimeters was difficult; perhaps weighing and finding the mass of the kernels would provide more accurate results.

Works Cited
The Popcorn Board. (2011). History of Popcorn. Retrieved from Popcorn: http://www.popcorn.org/EncyclopediaPopcornica/WelcometoPopcornica/HistoryofPopcorn/ta bid/106/Default.aspx