Popcorn Relay Race

The purpose of this activity is to help visualize the intangible concept of energy, (the 1st and
2nd Laws of Thermodynamics) using a concrete process, a relay using popcorn.

1st Law of Thermodynamics

The 1st Law is often called the Law of Conservation of Energy. This Law states that energy
cannot be created or destroyed, it just changes forms. Thus, the total amount of energy
available in the Universe is constant.

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Energy changes from useful to less useful forms. Energy flows in one irreversible direction. It
cannot be recycled or reused. As energy transfers, heat is lost. This law also predicts entropy,
the measure of disorder in a system. Because, heat is lost when energy is transferred, entropy
always increases with time. Eventually, because of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, energy
in the Universe is becoming less useful over time.

In this activity, participants run a relay race using 5 people. The tallest person with the biggest
hands (holds the most energy) is first while the shortest person with the smallest hands is last.

1. The tallest person, presumably with the biggest hands, starts. Hold the two hands together
while a team member fills the two hands with as much popcorn as possible. The popcorn
represents energy.
2. Drop the popcorn into a tray, then count the kernels.
3. Collect the popcorn again in the two hands and run across the football pitch with open
hands, and then return. Drop the popcorn into a tray and count the popcorn before the next
person picks up the popcorn to run.
4. Repeat this process, with all members, transferring the popcorn and counting them upon
return.
5. Each time the popcorn is carried, some (a lot!) is lost because just like when energy
transfers, it is impossible to run with popcorn without dropping some.
6. Complete the results table below.

Tertiary
Primary Secondary
Sun Producer consumer,
consumer consumer
predator
Tallest Shortest
student student
Name of
student
Number of
popcorns
Analysis Questions
1. What does the popcorn represent?
2. What does the handing on of the popcorn represent?
3. What does the running represent?
4. What law is simulated when the popcorn is handed on to the nearest member of the food
web?
5. What would happen to the next organism if the popcorn was not handed on?
6. What law is simulated when popcorn falls either as you run or as you hand on the
popcorn to next trophic level?
7. What does the popcorn on the ground represent?
8. Within a food web, how much energy is actually transferred from one trophic level to
another?
9. Based on the simulation and your understanding of the laws of energy, why is it so
important to protect the producers?
10. What happens when one trophic level is removed from the game? Does this have
implications for a different way to feed the human population?
11. What is the source of the gasoline that goes into a fuel tank of a car?
12. Why is gasoline referred to as a non-renewable resource?
13. Explain why conventional cars are only 25-30% efficient, using only ¼ of each gallon of
gasoline to actually run the car. Where does the other energy go?

HOW TO MAKE POPCORN

Why not make the popcorn yourself? Easy enough! This is a foolproof recipe which should ensure that
all the corn 'pops' and none of it burns.

What you need

 Heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid
 1/3 cup of corn kernels
 3 tablespoons cooking oil - coconut or groundnut add a special flavour
 Salt and butter for eating

What you do
 Put 3 tablespoon of oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
 Heat the oil over a medium to high heat.
 When the oil is hot and still on the heat, drop just 3 or 4 corn kernels into the oil, and loosely put
the lid on the saucepan - so you don't get hit by jumping corn!
 As soon as the 3 or 4 kernels have 'popped' and with the pan still on the heat, put all the rest of the
corn kernels in an even layer, into the bottom of the saucepan.
 Remove the pan from the heat and loosely put the lid on - again to protect yourself!
 Count 30 seconds with the pan off the heat and then replace the pan with the corn back onto the
heat.
 Wait until all the corn has 'popped' - maybe another minute or so - and remove the pan.
 Tip the 'popped' corn out into a big bowl, where you can toss the corn in melted butter and salt.
 Eat and share around!