Does Temperature Affect The Pop Rate Of Popcorn ?
Popcorn made from corn kernels, which puff into a white fluffy snack when they are heated. Popcorn is manufactured by taking out whole kernels from the cob, and drying them. Once they are dry, the kernels are heated and made to pop. When the kernels are heated, they make a popping noise and that is why they are called popcorn. Popcorn can be made in a vessel directly above flame or in a microwave. Popcorns are sold in special microwavable bags that expand when heated up. They fill with air and the hot air causes the corn to pop inside the bag. The question here arises is whether temperature has an effect on the pop rate of popcorn. |
A corn kernel contains some oil and moisture. When the kernel is heated the moisture trapped inside forms steam and gets pressurized. It blows the starch outside the popcorn into a gelatin consistency. Popcorn is made under strong heat. However, if they are heated to rapidly, the corn kernels will burn. The same happens when the kernels are heated for too long. The best way to make popcorn is to buy a bag of it and follow the instructions.
The popcorn builds up a lot of eat within the kernel, when being made. As per NASA, the water content in a corn kernel turns into steam and the temperature rises up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The kernel pops only after the moisture present inside the kernel evaporates. It takes some time for the moisture to heat up and get used up. The process in an overall manner is very short and it happens too quickly. To stop the popcorn from popping too fast and exploding, the kernels have to be contained. Different brands of popcorn follow different strategies to contain the popcorn. When you heat the corn kernel in a microwave without a lid, it will explode in various directions.
Another way to make popcorn is, put the kernel in a dry pressurized cooker. When the steam starts escaping from the cooker, the corn starts popping. It happens very quickly and almost in a sequence. When the popping sound stops, you should turn of the heat immediately. They can get burnt very quickly.
Temperature does affect popcorn, but only when it is too high. When corn is grown in summers, it is still not hot enough for them to pop. However, when the kernels are taken out and lay out in the heat, the kernels dry out. Popcorn can only be made from dry kernels of corn.
More Articles :
NASA.gov: What Makes Popcorn Pop?
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/home/popcorn.html
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Popcorn has a long and an ancient history. The earliest evidence of popped corn was found in Peru and it was dated back to the pre-Incan period, which was some time around 300 AD. A device was found which bore close resemblance to the modern popcorn machines. The device was a shallow vessel with a hole in the middle of the lid and a handle.