Popcorn Quality Control Lab Exercise
Source:
The instructions for this lab exercise consists of two pages:
Memo from Blubbenbacher Foods, Inc (Read first)
Interoffice memo (Read next)
Memo from Blubbenbacher Foods, Inc.
0. Blubbenbacher Foods, Inc
America's Number 1 Popcorn Producer
Kansas City, Kansas
To: GenChemCo - Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Our quality control department is being moved to a different location and will not be able to handle any projects for a few weeks. It has come to our attention that GenChemCo at ColoradoMountainCollege has acquired an excellent reputation as a problem solving chemistry laboratory facility and we would like you to conduct the following investigation for us:
The sales of our primary product "Gourmet Popcorn" seems to be losing market share and a number of seemingly unknown brands are creating serious competition. Please, conduct the following research:
1.) Determine the percent by mass water content of our brand and compare it to the competitors' brands.
2.) Determine the kernel density of each brand and relate it to water content
3) Correlate the kernel size with density and water content.
Samples of our brand as well as the competitor's brands are included. We look forward to your test results and report.
Sincerely yours,
0.Blubbenbacher, C.E.O.
Interoffice memo
GenChemCo Industries
COLORADOMOUNTAINCOLLEGE
InterLab Memo:
As you can see from the attached letter, we have been given the contract to investigate potential quality parameters of several brands of popcorn.
I would like each of you to get into your work groups and brainstorm on the following two ideas: 1)how can we determine the percent by mass water content of this product, and 2) what lab method can you devise to implement your proposal? Since you have previously determined the density of objects, measuring kernel density and kernel size should be a straight-forward procedure.
After coming up with a working hypothesis, and a plan for testing that hypothesis, please show both to me. At that point your group will be given adequate samples of the various products to collect your data. Feel free to share data with other work groups.
Each work group will submit a report (due two week from today) which should include the following sections:
1. Initial Working Hypothesis.
2. Initial Working Plan.
NOTE: Both of these should be essentially what you have shown me from above, modified ONLY to the extent that they are more readable"; i.e. complete sentences, spelling, etc. You should NOT change the hypothesis itself, regardless of whether it is supported by your data or not.
3. Your Data.
--Please show ALL measurements and calculations.
4. Analysis of the Data.
--Does the data support your hypothesis? Why? Why not?
5. Further Steps Taken.
---Did you do anything beyond your initial working plan? Why? What did you find?
6. A Letter of Response.
---Each group should submit a response directed to the client outlining what you did, what you found, and how this addresses the question proposed by the client.