Source: Inventors and Inventions.

Page 3 of 3

Cereal Science
Cereal makers almost always mix raisins with flakes. Not "krispies." Not "0's." Not "mini-wheats." Just flakes. Can you guess why?
List a possible reason:

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Now do what cereal makers do: Experiment! You can use the science you learn to invent your own cereal!	Materials: Clear, tall container with a lid Measuring cup 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) raisins Cornflakes or other "flake" cereal Cheerios, Froot Loops, or other O-shaped cereal Corn Chex, Frosted Mini-Wheats, or other "square" cereal
What to Do 1. Mix 1/2 cup (125 ml) of raisins and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of flakes in the container. Stir well with your finger to mix the ingredients. 2. Tighten the lid. Shake the container straight up and down 20 times. 3. Record your results below. Are the ingredients still well mixed? Or did one fall to the bottom? Did a lot of pieces break?

What else do you observe? Repeat steps 1 to 3 for the other two cereals.

Flakes and Raisins:

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0's and Raisins:

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Squares and Raisins:

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Conclusion
What differences did you observe in the three mixes?

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Hypothesize
What is the reason for these differences? How could you test your hypothesis? Write your ideas on the back of this page.

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