Increasing the size of a
piece of Popcorn
안용열
저널클럽 2004.9.21.
What is ‘Popcorn’?
Popcorn is very famous
food
When we watch movie..
Popcorn shrimp --;
An average american
eats 59 quarts(~56
liters) of popcorn every
year.
Contd.
He appeared as a photographer
in the drama “popcorn” before
“the tale of autumn”
They like it, too
Popcorn art..
They sell it!
.. And ancient food
• America may be the first
place where people eat
popcorn.
• Indians introduced the
popcorn to europeans
• Indians used the popcorn
even as an accessory!
http://www.goodbrush.com
.. It means that it’s easy to
make
?
How to make a popcorn
--;;
How to make a popcorn
(contd.)
--;;
How to make a popcorn
(contd.)
“A Corn kernel”
Moist starch
“A Corn with oil” on fire
heat
FIRE ~_~a
Inside a corn with oil on
fire
pressure
Water turns into
vapor
Bang!!
P_0
P_Y
Starch
+ Water vapor
Basic Idea
• Water vapor expands rapidly when a
corn is popped.
• Therefore, this is close to a perfect
adiabatic process.
• How to make a ‘good’ popcorn?
Then, How to measure
the ‘quality’ of a
popcorn?
Records
Adiabatic expansion
(gamma for water vapor = 1.3)
At time = 0
P_0
At time t_f when the expansion stops, P_Y
Theoretical Result
As P_0 gets lower, the final popcorn
volume gets larger (so obvious ^^;;)
Popcorn Experiment
Dry(Mesh) vs. Oil popping
Experimental Result
How to eat a sweet
popcorn?
• http://www.popweaver.com/recipes.htm : recipes
• http://www.popcorn.org/frames.cfm?main=encyclopedia/in
dex.cfm
: recipes
• Keep corn kernel in the airtight container. (Because without
moisture, the kernel can’t pop)
• Rehydrate “Old maids”
Do you want to lose some weight? Then use dry popper(air,
mesh, microwave) without seasonings. (only 30 calories per
cup) Or use this.
강냉이 ?
• It’s a different kind of corn
• The name came from 강남 in China
• It doesn’t pop in the normal air
pressure.
• We must use popping machine which
control the pressure.
• High p Low p : POP!
References
• www.popcorn.org
• W. J. da Silva, B. C. Vidal, M. E. Q. Martins, H. Vargas, C. P
ereira , M. Zerbetto & Luiz C. M. Miranda , What makes pop
corn pop , Nature,362,417, (1993).
• Daniel C. Hong and Joseph A. Both, Controlling the size of
popcorn, PhysicaA,289,557 (2001).
• Paul V. Quinn Sr., Daniel C. Hong, and J. A. Both, Increasin
g the Size of a Piece of Popcorn, 0409424, (2004).
• www.google.co.kr
