|
Abstract Maple syrup is deliciously gooey and great on breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles. But it it has another amazing property. It can form crystals under the right circumstances, and the crystals change in size and shape, depending on temperature. In this science fair project, you will discover how to make crystals out of maple sugar, and study how their growth is affected by temperature.Objective The objective of this food science fair project is to investigate how the rate of cooling affects crystal structure. Introduction Did you know that there are around 300 different natural flavor compounds in pure maple syrup? Other prominent ingredients are sugar, caramel, and vanilla. Nutty, buttery, floral (honey), cereal, chocolate, and coffee flavors can be found in some syrups! As is the case for most natural products, maple syrups have complex flavor chemistry to delight your senses of taste and smell. Chemically speaking, maple syrup is a concentrated solution of sugar in water, with many minor flavoring compounds. When it is heated, some of the water evaporates off and the sugar becomes more concentrated. As the heated maple syrup cools, the sugar molecules (the smallest particles of the sugar) form crystals. Unlike the sugar molecules in liquid syrup, which are free to float around, sugar molecules in the heated, concentrated syrup form these crystals, which line up and arrange themselves in an orderly and repetitive pattern. So as the water evaporates, the sugar molecules bump into one another frequently because there are so many of them, so close together. Occasionally, when they bump into each other, the molecules end up sticking together. This slow process is how the crystal "grows." You might think of a growing crystal as a big block of Legos. Each individual Lego is like a sugar molecule, because it is the smallest "piece" possible. When you add a new Lego piece to the big block, you have to line it up just right so that it will fit in with the pieces that are already there. In the same way, sugar molecules have to align themselves just right in order to become part of the growing crystal. Crystals can form at different rates; for instance, snowflakes form in seconds, but amethysts and rubies form over years. As you might imagine, the final crystal shape is affected by how fast the molecules adhere to the growing crystal. The slower the rate, the more time each molecule has to get aligned with its neighbors, resulting in a more organized final crystal. In this cooking and food science fair project, you will study how the rate of crystal formation affects crystal shape in maple syrup. Terms, Concepts, and Questions to Start Background Research
Questions
Bibliography
Materials and Equipment
Experimental Procedure
Variations
Credits David Whyte, PhD, Science Buddies
|
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring related careers.
![]() |
Chemist Everything in the environment, whether naturally occurring or of human design, is composed of chemicals. Chemists search for and use new knowledge about chemicals to develop new processes or products. |
![]() |
Food Science Technician Good taste, texture, quality, and safety are all very important in the food industry. Food science technicians test and catalog the physical and chemical properties of food to help ensure these aspects. | |
![]() |
Chemical Technician The role that the chemical technician plays is the backbone of every chemical, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical manufacturing operation. Chemical technicians conduct experiments, record data, and help to implement new processes and procedures in the laboratory. If you enjoy hands-on work, then you might be interested in the career of a chemical technician. |
![]() |
Food Scientist or Technologist There is a fraction of the world's population that doesn't have enough to eat or doesn't have access to food that is nutritionally rich. Food scientists or technologists work to find new sources of food that have the right nutrition levels and that are safe for human consumption. In fact, our nation's food supply depends on food scientists and technologists that test and develop foods that meet and exceed government food safety standards. If you are interested in combining biology, chemistry, and the knowledge that you are helping people, then a career as a food scientist or technologist could be a great choice for you! | |
|
Join Science Buddies
Become a Science Buddies member! It's free! As a member you will be the first to receive our new and innovative project ideas, news about upcoming science competitions, science fair tips, and information on other science related initiatives. |