Why Does Popcorn Pop?

                 Why Does Popcorn Pop?

Have you ever wondered how popcorn pops, or why it pops? This document exists to tell you why, and how popcorn pops. First let’s go back in time, to when popcorn was made. 4000 years ago from now.

Long ago, the native americans used to tell a myth about popcorn. The myth was about how the native americans said that there was a small demon inside the kernel. When it got heated, the demon would get so angry that it exploded to make the kernel become popcorn. I feel like some people still believe that this old myth is true. Where was popcorn first found? In the bat cave of West Central New Mexico. I KNOW! A bat cave. That popcorn must have been smelly already because of the bats. I heard that some popcorn was found on a pyramid as well.

Now that you know a bit about the first days of popcorn existence, which was a long time ago, now let’s go back to 2017, and talk about the parts of a kernel. Here’s a picture.

 I actually never knew that there were parts of a kernel. But you know how the pericarp is just one whole yellow piece? I wonder if that yellow green thing connected to the endosperm is a different part or if it’s just the pericarp as well. Huh. Anyways, back to the explanation. A kernel has 14% water in it. Specifically the germ inside the kernel. So the water inside the kernel heats up, and becomes steam. Once it becomes steam, pressure is inside the kernel, and a few seconds later, it pops and becomes popcorn. Just like a balloon, too much pressure, it pops.  Now that I have explained how popcorn pops, I must go now, Bye! -dramatic poof-