A Feast for Yeast

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In this activity on page 6 of the PDF (Get Cooking With Chemistry), learners investigate yeast. Learners prepare an experiment to observe what yeast cells like to eat. Learners feed the yeast cells various ingredients in plain bread--water, flour, sugar, and salt--to discover yeast's favorite food.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per student
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • 1 envelope of Rapid Rise yeast (7 grams)
  • White all-purpose flour
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Warm tap water (somewhere between 105 and 130 degrees F)
  • 4 film canisters with lids
  • 4 short wide 9-ounce clear plastic cups
  • 4 tall 10-ounce clear plastic cups
  • Masking tape
  • Pen
  • Measuring spoons

Keywords

Subjects

  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
      • Cell Metabolism
    • Diversity of Life
      • Protists and Fungi
  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
      • Heat and Temperature
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
    • States of Matter
      • Liquids
      • Gases
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • American Chemical Society

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, American Chemical Society, 2000