Half the fun of popcorn is watching it turn from a hard, little yellow seed into a white fluffy treat. Standing in the kitchen waiting for your popcorn to finish, an awesome spectacle is unfurling before you.
When heated, the spirit grew angry, burst out of its home, and fled into the air as a disgruntled puff of steam. A less charming but more scientific explanation exists for why popcorn pops.
Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components : the germ, endosperm, and pericarp also known as hull. Of the 4 most common types of corn —sweet, dent, flint, and popcorn—only popcorn pops. The pressurized heat gelatinizes the hard starch, turning it from rock solid to a very malleable form.
As the kernel continues to heat, the pressure eventually exceeds the strength of the hull, at which point the hull ruptures. The pressurized steam within the kernel immediately expands and causes the gelatinized starch to puff in the process.
As the steam escapes, the temperature of the starch quickly drops and allows it to once again take solid form. The result is a perfectly fluffy, popped kernel. In every batch of popcorn, there are always a few kernels that never pop or simply crack open without popping. There are several possible causes, but a few missing links in the popping formula are usually the cause. A faulty hull is the most common cause of a popping failure.
If the hull has a small crack or otherwise compromised area, pressure will not build within the kernel. As the moisture in the kernel heats and turns to steam, it slowly leaks out of the kernel. These kernels may stay completely intact or will split open before the starch gelatinizes, causing an open but compact kernel.
Low moisture content in the kernel is also a common cause of failure to pop. Some historians even suggest Native Americans introduced the Pilgrims to popcorn when they brought it to the first Thanksgiving feast. Though Americans consume more popcorn than any other country in the world today, archeologists have found popcorn kernels in New Mexican caves they believe to be more than 4, years old, suggesting this savory snack has been a part of cultures around the world for centuries.
The legend claimed a tiny demon lived inside each kernel of popcorn. When the demon 's house was heated, he would get so angry he would explode! Are you hungry yet? If so, get popping with the following activities. Be sure to ask a friend or family member to give you a hand! Hi, Megan! Try reading through paragraph 4 one more time - this should help explain why popcorn pops!
We're sorry to hear that! Try reading through this Wonder one more time to find out what makes popcorn pop! We think the popcorn is proud to be one of the all-time great snacks. Thanks for checking out this Wonder with us, Greg! Thanks for asking, Kate! Please see our response to Brandon, right below your comment.
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The following is how you would cite this Wonder of the Day. Accessed 12 Dec. Perhaps the popcorn kernels were fossilized or preserved in another way, allowing archeologists to find them and analyze them!
Thanks for asking, johnlloyd! If you pop some popcorn and look closely at the pieces, you'll probably see how the kernels bust away but are usually still attached to the fluffy part. Hi, Emma! We hope this Wonder was helpful and informational! Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis to find information for your project! We also encourage you to research at the library and online!
Hi, Cerys! We hope you found out by exploring this Wonder! Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! Hi, maggie! Thanks for being a supportive Wonder Friend and asking about her project! We agree, Elinor! It's a very popular snack. Welcome, roberta! Thanks for remembering to cite your sources for your project.
The official Wonderopolis Permissions Policy states: Wonderopolis materials may be cited or excerpted in periodicals, books, and educational materials under the following stipulations: 1. A URL of the material referenced is provided so that readers may access it online 2. Good luck on your project! Thanks for asking, kylie! The following is how you would cite the Wonder of the Day.
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Hello, Yazminah! We love popcorn, too! It sounds like popcorn has become a family tradition for you and your family. Welcome back, cookie! Hi Cheri! It's always important to cite your sources when doing a report.
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Thanks for hanging out with us in Wonderopolis! We hope you'll continue by going on a Wonder Journey of your own! A good place to start is popcorn. That's a great question, McKinsie H.! Here's what we found at www. Utter's Class! We're so glad you are hanging out with us in Wonderopolis! We WONDER if you can think of other types of food that make noises when you cook them like when you boil, or simmer, or fry them! Hi, Torrance H.! Each popcorn kernel is covered in a hard shell called a hull.
That shell is so hard, that our teeth have a tough time breaking through it, causing pain when you try to bite into it or worse, a piece of your tooth to be broken off! As you can imagine, the strength of the outer hull of the corn kernel is very important. The hull should be strong enough to hold onto these high pressures, however, it should not be so strong that it never breaks.
Scientists found that a hull in which the molecules are structured orderly will give a better pop to the corn. As such, the type of starch is essential. Scientists describe these starches as being either hard or soft. However, it should then also be hard enough to hold onto its shape. Somehow it sounds obvious that popcorn pops. However, those loud pops have puzzled researchers for a long time.
How can such a small corn kernel make these pretty loud noises? By recording both the sounds and slow motion images of popping corn, researchers were able to identify which step makes this popping sound. You might have expected the breakage of the hull to cause the popping sound, but that is not it. The origin of sound is, and this might surprise, actually very similar to that of a champagne bottle being unpopped! You might be wondering how you can optimize the size and shape of your popcorn.
The process you use has a negligible effect on the final popcorn size and shape. For instance, a stronger hull makes a larger popcorn. Also, smaller kernels expand relatively more than larger ones do. A lower moisture content up to a limit of course , will also increase size.
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