Int3
Integrated Natural Science Applications
INT1 – Task 3
Popcorn Experiment
James Richardson
000277456
INT Task 3 – Experiment No bag of popcorn yields 100% of popcorn. There are always kernels left over. It’s the amount left over that is important. I think most people would prefer to have less kernels left over than more. This lead me to try this experiment and see which brand had the highest yield of fully popped kernels. I also wanted to test and see whether a more expensive brand would produce more popped kernels over a cheaper brand.
LITERATURE
I used two studies to review this experiment. The first test was done by Sean Boyd who tested three bags of five different brands. Mr Boyd however only factored the un-popped kernels into his results. He averaged the amount un-popped kernels to find that ACT II produced the least amount of un-popped kernels. ( Boyd, 2006 ) The second was done by Tammie Mason. She tested four different brands. She popped three bags for each brand and then found the average number of popped kernels per brand. She concluded that more expensive brand, Orville Redenbacker, produced the most popped kernels per bag. A mid-priced brand, Act II, popped the least. (Mason, 2011) Mr. Boyds test did not have enough data for me so I decided to base my test on Ms. Mason’s process with small modifications.
DESIGN & REASONING - Find three brands to represent the low, medium, and high cost - Purchase nine bags, three from each brand, of butter flavored microwave popcorn - Create a chart to document the results of tests - Start with the first bag of low cost popcorn - Microwave the bag using the same power level of ten and a time of two minutes - Let the bag cool for five minutes with the door open - Count the popped kernels and document - Count the un-popped kernels and document - Repeat for the remaining two bags of low cost popcorn - Move onto the medium cost and then high cost popcorn - Calculate the number of
INT1 – Task 3
Popcorn Experiment
James Richardson
000277456
INT Task 3 – Experiment No bag of popcorn yields 100% of popcorn. There are always kernels left over. It’s the amount left over that is important. I think most people would prefer to have less kernels left over than more. This lead me to try this experiment and see which brand had the highest yield of fully popped kernels. I also wanted to test and see whether a more expensive brand would produce more popped kernels over a cheaper brand.
LITERATURE
I used two studies to review this experiment. The first test was done by Sean Boyd who tested three bags of five different brands. Mr Boyd however only factored the un-popped kernels into his results. He averaged the amount un-popped kernels to find that ACT II produced the least amount of un-popped kernels. ( Boyd, 2006 ) The second was done by Tammie Mason. She tested four different brands. She popped three bags for each brand and then found the average number of popped kernels per brand. She concluded that more expensive brand, Orville Redenbacker, produced the most popped kernels per bag. A mid-priced brand, Act II, popped the least. (Mason, 2011) Mr. Boyds test did not have enough data for me so I decided to base my test on Ms. Mason’s process with small modifications.
DESIGN & REASONING - Find three brands to represent the low, medium, and high cost - Purchase nine bags, three from each brand, of butter flavored microwave popcorn - Create a chart to document the results of tests - Start with the first bag of low cost popcorn - Microwave the bag using the same power level of ten and a time of two minutes - Let the bag cool for five minutes with the door open - Count the popped kernels and document - Count the un-popped kernels and document - Repeat for the remaining two bags of low cost popcorn - Move onto the medium cost and then high cost popcorn - Calculate the number of
References: Boyd, S. (2006, September 3). The jawbreakers of the popcorn industry. Retrieved on June 25, 2013 from http://home.ptd.net/~sequoia1/Science/popcorn.htm Mason, T. (2011, January 3). Which Microwave Popcorn Gives the Most POP for Your Buck? Retrieved June 25, 2013 from http://voices.yahoo.com/which-microwave-popcorn-gives-most-7479224.html?cat=46