My B1 Speaking/Writing class combined with Christine’s B1 Speaking/Writing class to do an experiment with yeast as part of their bread project. We were investigating what the best food is for yeast and the affects of salt on yeast growth. This little experiment is really simple. You just combine yeast and sugar with some warm water in a plastic zipper bag. Observe it to see how much gas (carbon dioxide) is produced. Do the same with a combination of yeast and flour, yeast, sugar and salt, and yeast, flour and salt.
Authors
B1 Speaking/Writing Class
Kathryn Teacher
Christine Teacher
Cindy Teacher
Title
What Yeast Eats
Purpose
To see what is the best food for yeast
Hypothesis
Sugar is the best food for yeast
Materials
Sugar
Flour
Yeast
Warm water
Salt
Zipper bags
Procedure
Put sugar, yeast and water in the first bag. Put flour, yeast and water in the second bag. Put sugar, yeast, salt and water in the third bag. Put flour, yeast, salt and water in the fourth bag. Mix the contents of the bag well. Put the bags in a warm place for about one hour.
Results
The bag with sugar, yeast and water produced the most gas. The bag with the flour, yeast, salt and water produced the least gas.
Conclusions
Sugar is the best food for yeast. Yeast can eat flour, but it is not a very good food. Salt stops yeast from eating food.
And here are their completed posters…
Christine’s Class: Eric, Eddie, Joe, Flora and Mary
Kathryn’s Class: Sean, Kitty and Lizzy
No comments
Comment by ellaella on February 21, 2008 at 12:20 am
Great experiment, confirming what we bread bakers know. If you do it again, try extra sugar bags with and without 1 TB cinnamon and see how it inhibits the yeast.
Darn, those kids are cute!
Comment by katiesue on February 21, 2008 at 8:52 am
Thanks Ella. The bread projects are thankfully over today. But I’ll add the cinnamon thing to the experiment page for the next time.