The hypothesis is that different brands of popcorn will leave different amounts of unpopped kernels.

Each time, you will pop 100 popcorn kernels in the hot-air popper for a set time. The first experiment is the control where you just pop 100 untreated kernels. The second experiment you will soak 100 kernels in water for 1 hour, pat them dry, then pop them. The third experiment you will dry 100 kernels out in the oven at 200F for 1 hour, cool, then pop them. Count all the unpopped kernels from each experiment. Then line up all the popped popcorn, measure the length and divide by the number of popcorn to get an average length of each popcorn.

You will need popcorn kernels, a hot-air popper, water and an oven.

The popcorn kernels need moisture to pop. Dried-out kernels do not pop well.

This science project is interesting because it allows students to compare different brands of popcorn and see which one pops the most kernels.

Experiment variations to consider include popping the popcorn for different amounts of time, soaking the kernels for different amounts of time, or using different types of poppers (e.g. stove popped or microwave popped).

These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.