• Question: What makes popcorn pop?

    Asked by eli5e to Madgie on 11 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Marlene Lorgen

      Marlene Lorgen answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      I didn’t actually know the answer to this so had a look with google, it’s pretty cool!

      Kernels of popcorn have oil, water and starch in them which is surrounded by a strong outer shell. Heating the kernels turns the water inside into steam which tries to escape, but can’t due to the shell. The oil and steam react with the strach, making it softer and easier to change shape. At a temperature of around 180 degrees celsius, the pressue inside the kernel is about 136psi (think about being under around 100m of water), causing the shell to rupture,which basically turns the kernel inside out. The proteins and starch form into a foam which cools and become the puffy popcorn we eat.

      COOL!

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