Food for thought: science project ideas – student experiments in the kitchen
Hungry for science-project ideas? Just raid the fridge or kitchen cupboard. You’ll be amazed at how many experiments you can find right in your own kitchen. Here are some yummy ideas!
FRIDGE:
1. What’s the relationship between an ice cream’s fat content and its price?
2. Does the amount of sugar in homemade ice cream affect how fast it freezes?
3. Does soda lose its fizz faster in the refrigerator or at room temperature?
4. In a blind taste test, can you tell the difference between nonfat, low-fat, and whole milk?
5. If you hold your nose while eating, can you tell the difference between a slice of orange and a slice of grapefruit?
6. When you pour soda out of a newly opened bottle, what produces more fizz: regular or diet soda?
7. Do green eggs and ham taste different from regular eggs and ham?
8. Do bigger lemons have more seeds than smaller ones?
9. What types of grapes make the best-tasting raisins?
10. What kinds of fruit keep gelatin from gelling?
11. Which brand of pancake syrup is thickest?
12. What makes lemonade taste sweeter: regular sugar or artificial sweetener?
13. Can you taste the difference between bottled and tap water?
STOVE/OVEN:
14. Does spaghetti cook faster in plain or salty water?
15. Which brand of popcorn pops the most kernels?
16. Which kind of melted cheese is the stretchiest: cheddar, mozzarella, or monterey jack?
17. Given the same amount of water, does pot size affect how fast an egg cooks?
18. What’s the best place to store home-baked cookies to keep them fresh longest?
19. What makes cupcakes rise higher: baking powder or baking soda?
20. If you double the amount of yeast, will bread dough rise twice as fast?
21. What ingredients (other than baking powder) can you add to make cake rise?
22. Instead of baking a cake at 325 [degrees] F for 40 minutes, can you bake it at 650 [degrees] F for 20 minutes?
CUPBOARD:
23. Which cereal brand stays crunchy in milk longest?
24. Which attracts more mealworms: whole-wheat flour or enriched white flour?
25. Which brand of chocolate bar melts fastest in the sun?
26. How many saltine crackers can you eat in a row without needing a glass of water?
27. Which potato chip can bear the most weight: rippled or smooth?
28. What liquids make the best “invisible inks”?
29. How much sugar should you dissolve in water to make crystal candy?
30. What’s the effect of salt on sliced cucumber?
31. Can you exercise longer after eating an energy bar or a plain chocolate bar?
32. Can adults taste the difference between regular and decaffeinated coffee?
33. How can you reduce the gassy effect of beans?
34. If a can is dented, does that mean food inside has spoiled?
COUNTERTOP:
35. Which type of bread turns moldy the fastest: store-bought or bakery bread?
36. Which of these can you smell from farthest away: a whole garlic clove, a crushed one, or minced garlic?
37. What’s the best way to get garlic smell off your hands?
38. While slicing onions, how do you keep your eyes from tearing?
39. What toasts faster: plain or buttered bread?
40. What’s the best way to keep an apple slice from turning brown?
41. Does a banana ripen faster on the kitchen counter or in a paper bag?
42. Which kind of gum keeps its flavor longest: sugar-free or regular?
43. In a blind taste test, can you tell the difference between gummy-bear flavors?
44. Do hot drinks in the summer make you feel cooler than cool drinks?
45. Which whitens stains better: vinegar or lemon?
MISCELLANEOUS:
46. If you put sugar water on the rim of a glass, do people like the taste of the drink better?
47. If you eat a pound of food at lunch, will you weigh a pound heavier right after eating?
48. Do teens snack more while cramming for an exam or while watching TV?
49. Which types of bird food do squirrels prefer?
50. What picnic food attracts ants fastest?
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