A video of a popcorn kernel bursting recorded by a high speed camera.
(Video credit: The Schmitz family, uploaded to YouTube by Andrew Bridges)
The physics of popping corn just got its own scientific pop. Researchers have discovered that the ‘pop’ sound is created by the release of water vapour.
French researchers have found that the temperature that popcorn bursts open is 180°C. When it does the popcorn jumps on what might be called a ‘leg’ of starch in a fashion similar to a gymnast’s jump. Finally the ‘pop’ sound one hears is caused by the release of water vapour. This study answers to questions that were unclear in the scientific literature.
Original research paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface on February 10, 2015.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
Alexandre Ponomarenko, Grenoble University, France
Feature image from John Linwood.
