The science of macaroni salad: What's in a molecule? - Josh Kurz
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What do macaroni salad and gasoline have in common? They are made of exactly the same stuff -- specifically, the same atoms, just rearranged. So, while we put the former in our mouths and the latter in our cars, they are really just variations on the same atomic theme. Josh Kurz breaks macaroni salad down to its smallest chemical components.
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Additional Resources for you to Explore
Isn't it funny that many of the things that make up our food is what also makes up the world around us? Check out this list of the ten most abundant elements in the Earth's crust. Now, check out the list of the most abundant elements found in our food.
Is it true that everything is made up of atoms? Yup! That's right. Still don't understand? Take a look at this lesson about atoms. It may help to clarify exactly how small these things really are.
Here are two more lessons about what we eat: How I fell in love with fish and A plant's-eye view.
So, we basically depend on the food we eat to make fossil fuels, right? Not exactly. But, the food we eat often is filtered down into the larger ecosystem of the earth and eventually could become fossil fuels. However, that takes millions of years to happen. To learn more about fossil fuels, join this discussion.
Biofuels can provide energy without the reliance on environmentally harmful fossils fuels -- but scientists are still searching for a plentiful source. Craig A. Kohn demonstrates how cellulose, the naturally abundant tough walls of plant cells, might be the solution.
Hungry? Me too! Here's a recipe for macaroni salad.
Is it true that everything is made up of atoms? Yup! That's right. Still don't understand? Take a look at this lesson about atoms. It may help to clarify exactly how small these things really are.
Here are two more lessons about what we eat: How I fell in love with fish and A plant's-eye view.
So, we basically depend on the food we eat to make fossil fuels, right? Not exactly. But, the food we eat often is filtered down into the larger ecosystem of the earth and eventually could become fossil fuels. However, that takes millions of years to happen. To learn more about fossil fuels, join this discussion.
Biofuels can provide energy without the reliance on environmentally harmful fossils fuels -- but scientists are still searching for a plentiful source. Craig A. Kohn demonstrates how cellulose, the naturally abundant tough walls of plant cells, might be the solution.
Hungry? Me too! Here's a recipe for macaroni salad.

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