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Why popcorn pops: a pea-sized pressure cooker that gives way at 180 °C
A popcorn kernel is a pressure cooker the size of a pea. Its tough hull seals in about 14% water, so as the pan heats, the water cannot boil away and the…
Why water drops last longer on a hotter pan: the Leidenfrost effect
Flick water onto a warm pan and it sizzles away in a second. Make the pan hotter, past about 193 °C, and something odd happens: the drop pulls into a bead…
Why popcorn pops, and why some kernels never do
A popcorn kernel is a tiny, sealed pressure vessel. Its hard shell traps water inside the starchy core until heat turns that water to steam, and pressure…