Building Our New Nest: Chemistry Project
Essential Question:
- How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine its physical, chemical and biological properties with emphasis on their use in building construction?
- How do the design of a building, selection of building materials, construction process and use of a building affect the overall sustainability of a building project and the user experience in the building?
The main thing I learned is that what I thought was biology actually is chemistry as well. For example when I was researching ways that these plants are drought resistant. I figured out that most drought resistant plants have waxy leaves. Which I thought was a biological adaptation. but it also has to do with the chemistry of the plants. and how they keep in water and are more sustainable. The way they do it is that the waxy coating helps insulate the plant as well as reflecting the sun to reduce evaporation.
Some new skills I got from this project is I learned that there are a lot more drought resistant plants than I had previously thought. When I went home I looked at some of our house plants and identified them as drought resistant plants. and I didn’t know that before.
The other new skill I worked on and learned more about is my ability to make quality infographics. I have made a few infographics in the past few years but looking back at them this one was the most refined and professional looking. I was really happy with how this one came out. The colors work together nicely and my photos really impressed me.
Some new skills I got from this project is I learned that there are a lot more drought resistant plants than I had previously thought. When I went home I looked at some of our house plants and identified them as drought resistant plants. and I didn’t know that before.
The other new skill I worked on and learned more about is my ability to make quality infographics. I have made a few infographics in the past few years but looking back at them this one was the most refined and professional looking. I was really happy with how this one came out. The colors work together nicely and my photos really impressed me.
FOOD: Chemistry of Food and Cooking Project
Reflection
How did your cooking process transform your food macroscopically and affect the food’s overall characteristics?
So for my project I had the question of: Why, When adding flour to frosting why is the frosting's stability increased at higher temperatures? After a lot of research we discovered that it is because the starch (which is the flour) and the fat (which is the vegetable shortening) are attracted to each other. When you look at it microscopically you can see that the polar heads on the fat molecules are attracted to the polar regions in the starch molecules.
The best example I can give you is to look at a mutualism symbiotic relationship. Both can survive on their own but they thrive better together- like a clownfish and anemone. The clown fish gets shelter and the anemone gets protection. So they're better together- just like when starch and fat are combined it creates a much more heat resistant frosting.
In what way(s) are cooking and doing science similar and in what way(s) are they different? How are a cook and a food scientist similar or different?
Cooking and food science are similar in the most obvious and in deeper ways. You could say they both work with food and while that is true, there is so much more to it than that. The better idea to consider is that you are both using the same method (question/goal, experiment, results, reflection). First you ask a question or create a goal like, “How can I make this or I wonder if this and this will taste good together?” Then you experiment and make your dish, then you get your results, and sometimes they don’t taste good. Then you reflect and ask, “What can I change to make it taste better, or how can I improve?”. The difference between the two is that with cooking you can only use food or it is not cooking. With science there are so many directions to go in, like chemistry, biology or even geology. You can study anything or even create something new. But cooking is only one part and that is where your differences come in.
Now changing the subject (but only slightly), cooks and scientists are very similar, like we just discussed, but they can have their own sets of similarities or differences. Speaking as someone who is both, I can honestly say I have never thought of cooking as a science. I think of it as an art because you can be creative and try so many different variations of things and you can create how you cook. But, a scientist generally relies more on facts and data and a specific set of steps to follow, rather than creative expression.
So for my project I had the question of: Why, When adding flour to frosting why is the frosting's stability increased at higher temperatures? After a lot of research we discovered that it is because the starch (which is the flour) and the fat (which is the vegetable shortening) are attracted to each other. When you look at it microscopically you can see that the polar heads on the fat molecules are attracted to the polar regions in the starch molecules.
The best example I can give you is to look at a mutualism symbiotic relationship. Both can survive on their own but they thrive better together- like a clownfish and anemone. The clown fish gets shelter and the anemone gets protection. So they're better together- just like when starch and fat are combined it creates a much more heat resistant frosting.
In what way(s) are cooking and doing science similar and in what way(s) are they different? How are a cook and a food scientist similar or different?
Cooking and food science are similar in the most obvious and in deeper ways. You could say they both work with food and while that is true, there is so much more to it than that. The better idea to consider is that you are both using the same method (question/goal, experiment, results, reflection). First you ask a question or create a goal like, “How can I make this or I wonder if this and this will taste good together?” Then you experiment and make your dish, then you get your results, and sometimes they don’t taste good. Then you reflect and ask, “What can I change to make it taste better, or how can I improve?”. The difference between the two is that with cooking you can only use food or it is not cooking. With science there are so many directions to go in, like chemistry, biology or even geology. You can study anything or even create something new. But cooking is only one part and that is where your differences come in.
Now changing the subject (but only slightly), cooks and scientists are very similar, like we just discussed, but they can have their own sets of similarities or differences. Speaking as someone who is both, I can honestly say I have never thought of cooking as a science. I think of it as an art because you can be creative and try so many different variations of things and you can create how you cook. But, a scientist generally relies more on facts and data and a specific set of steps to follow, rather than creative expression.