The

 scien)fic  method  

Lesson  1  –  1.6.15  
 Learning  Objec)ves  
1.1  –  Explain  the  steps  of  the  scien)fic  method  
1.2  –  Apply  the  scien)fic  method  to  food  and  
cooking  
How  is  cooking  like  science?  
Reactants and products
Specific steps
Use science to explain cooking
Experiments (but in the kitchen)
 The  scien)fic  method  
Observation Question

Hypothesis: a proposed Hypothesis

explanation for a set of
observations Do the results
support the
hypothesis?

Prediction

No: make new hypothesis

Yes: make new predictions

Experiment to keep testing hypothesis

Analysis
Why does Jell-O firm up?
 The gelatin in the Jell-O
helps it firm. Could be tested
by comparing homemade
and storebought Jell-O.

The cold temperature helps

the gelatin firm. Could be
tested by using hot
temperature

What  is  a  possible  hypothesis?  

 Hypothesis  
Gelatin makes Jell-O solidify

What is gelatin? Collagen: protein derived from pig skin, cow skin and bones

How could we test this?

Homemade: one batch with and one without gelatin
Compare batches of Jell-O with different ratios of gelatin
 Experiment  
Add something to Jell-O that destroys gelatin

Fresh pineapple/papaya contains papain (both in the juice and the flesh).
Papain is an enzyme (protein) that cuts up other proteins

Add fresh pineapple to Jell-O and follow the recipe

The Jell-O won't firm up (the papain will destroy the gelatin, and the Jell-O no longer
has the ability to solidify)
 What  can  you  conclude  from  these  data?  

Amount of gelatin degraded

Papain concentration

Increased papain causes an increase on the amount of gelatin degraded (proportional relationship)
Results  
 How  is  this  possible?  
(Pineapple slices suspended in firmed gelatin)

If the pineapple is heated then it works

(Either cooked or canned, since canned is heated very hot to sterilize)
 Explana)on  
Heating the pineapple destroys (denatures) the papain enzyme, so it cannot degrade the collagen
(gelatin) protein, and thus the Jell-O will firm up
 For  next  class…  
•  Get  a  textbook  and  do  the  reading  
•  Register  your  iClicker  
•  Register  for  Piazza  
•  Complete  first  survey  on  EEE  quiz  (worth  1  point)  
–  Due  Monday  Jan  12  at  11:45pm  on  EEE  

•  First  reading  quiz  is  due  on  Thursday  Jan  8  at  1pm  
on  EEE