This week in science we did a pretty cool experiment that included fire and food. We were assigned to figure out how many calories are in the certain foods that we had to choose from. We placed the certain (A pistachio, a potato chip, and a flaming hot cheeto) foods on a paper paper clip and lit them one fire. Then we placed a homemade calorimeter (an object that measures calories of food when burned) on top of the flaming food. The calorimeter was filled with 100ml of water so we could see temperature rise while the foods burns. The food that held the most energy (calories) was the pistachio. I am guessing that you are wondering how we figured that out? Well, the pistachio temperature difference was 19 degrees celsius, the flaming hot cheeto temperature difference was 9 degrees celsius, and the potato chip temperature difference was 6 degrees celsius. This shows how much energy (calories) are in the objects, larger the difference the more calories they have. That is how we figured out what food had the most energy. The experiment represents how the body burns calories. If you have a diet of junk food you will not last as long, and you will not have as much energy as a person with a healthy diet. This experiment was really fun, and we all manged not to burn ourselves. I learned a lot and I hope someday you will get the chance to do this experiment too. Thanks for reading…

-Mady

This week we are looking at chemical and mechanical digestion. We did a really gross and fun experiment to test our facts that we had learned early this week. The first step of our experiment was to take a saltine cracker, place it in our mouth, and chew for three minutes straight. After we finished our wonderful chewing (that was actually really nasty), we spit into a beaker until we reached about 100 ml. Once we were done spitting, we let it set for about five minutes, and then we placed one drop of iodine in it. While I was doing the spit test, my partner Sam was assigned to crush the saltine into a beaker with one drop of iodine. We were to compare the two beakers, and examine how they were different. My beaker had a different color than Sam’s. “Why” you may ask. Well while I was chewing my cracker enzymes in my mouth were slowly digesting the starch in the cracker, while Sam just crumbled the cracker up (the cracker that still had all its starch) and poured water into the beaker. which is why my beaker was, I said before, a different color than Sam’s. This experiment showed us that our mouth indeed has enzymes that break down food, and starts the process of digestion. I hope you enjoyed reading about our amazingly gross experiment…

see you later!!!

-Mady

This week in science we started a unit on the digestive system. For our first project we were assigned to write about what happens in the digestive system. We would have to explain the journey of a protein capsule, as if we were inside the human body, and in the digestive tract. We have to send postcards from each location we stopped at, and describe what was happening in that certain body part/organ. Here is two of my postcards-one from the mouth, and one from the esophagus.

First Stop: The Mouth

The Entrance To The Body…

Dear my fellow classmates,

I am writing this inside a mouth. I have witnessed many amazing events, that you would not see anywhere else. I have seen mechanical digestion, as well as chemical digestion. I have been watching mashed potatoes get crushed by teeth, and celery sticks get dissolved by enzymes. Right now the tongue is pushing me and my vessel (A protein capsule) to the back of the throat, and I am about to be swallowed. SEE YOU IN THE ESOPHAGUS!!!!

The Esophagus:

The muscular water slide

Hello!!!

I am here at the entrance of the digestive system, THE ESOPHAGUS!!! I am watching the food I was swallowed with going on an epic journey through the muscular tube we call the esophagus. Right now we are looking at the moist pink walls that are made of mucosa (A Tissue found all over the body’s openings). I am witnessing the esophagus muscles contracting and pushing my protein capsule down into the stomach. This process is called peristalsis! My next Postcard will be mailed from the stomach! See you then!!!!!

 

I promise to send more postcards…

-Mady