(FCM) Atoms and Molecules Lesson

Atoms and Molecules

When we cook our food we rarely think about what it is made of, we simply boil, fry, bake or microwave our food; and then we consume it. Foods, like all other substances, are made of atoms arranged in varied configurations forming compounds that we need to survive. When we cook our food, we rearrange atoms in a way that makes the food taste better and have a more pleasing texture. While most organisms on this planet eat food directly from the source, we as humans prepare our food with spices and varied cooking methods that allow us to eat our food with pleasing attributes. All of these changes to our food involve the properties of matter, and physical and chemical changes that we usually overlook.

Atoms

Let's begin with the basics of matter and the different forms in which it can exist. Atoms make up all forms of matter that are around us. If you can see it, smell it, touch it or taste it, that substance is made up of atoms. Atoms are the basic unit of matter; they are the smallest unit of an element that maintains the characteristic of that element. There are 118 known elements with around 98 occurring in nature, each having its own unique chemical properties and appearance. Elements are pure chemical substances consisting of one type of atom distinguished by the number of protons contained in its nucleus. All of the known elements are arranged in a table based on the atomic number which is the same as the number of protons the element contains. This table is known as the periodic table of the elements and it is very useful to scientists when they are dealing with chemical changes.

During chemical changes, elements have the ability to combine and form compounds. A compound is formed when new substances composed of two or more elements are chemically bonded. These compounds make up all of the things we encounter every day, from the water that we drink to the food we eat. When we cook our food, we take advantage of the properties of elements and compounds and the physical and chemical changes they undergo to transform our food. All these changes bring out the desirable flavors we enjoy. 

Cooking

When we cook our food, molecules and elements rearrange themselves into forms that taste good and textures we enjoy. This involves a chemical change that in most cases is irreversible. The food starts out completely different than the food that we eat.

Watch the following video to learn about some specific examples.

Use the activity below to learn about chemical changes. 

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