Popcorn Fever

Q: How does the temperature at which you store microwavable popcorn affect how well it pops?

Materials:
10 bags microwave popcorn

Label 3 bags "refrigerator", 3 bags "counter", and 3 bags "freezer". Leave one bag unlabeled. Put the bags in their spots (leave the unlabeled bag on the counter). Wait 24 hours.
Microwave 1 cup of water for 1 minute to preheat the microwave.
Put the unmarked bag in the microwave and pop it until the rate slows to 2-3 seconds between pops. Stop the microwave and note how long the popcorn was in there.
Take 1 bag out of the freezer and microwave it for the time noted above. Take the bag out of the microwave, measure the popcorn and record the volume. Pour the popcorn onto a cookie sheet and count the number of unpopped kernels. Repeat these steps for the rest of the popcorn.
Average the results for each group and compare.

Notes: Popcorn pops because of the starch and moisture inside the kernel, and the hard shell surrounding the kernel. When the moisture inside expands, the popcorn pops.
When heated, the starch expands, forming thin, jelly-like bubbles. The starch bubbles fuse together with the ones around them, creating popcorn.

From: Prize-Winning Science Fair Projects for Curious Kids by Rhatigan & Newcomb