Each chapter includes starter ideas for science projects for ages 14 and up. Many of the projects in this volume require adult supervision and/or intervention for safety which fact is included first in the list of materials as well as in bold red text in the narrative portion of the chapter. A brief introduction sets a welcome tone implying that all of us are scientists all the time, and an effort has been made to dispel the "mad scientist" image that permeates many science fair books. A short section on scientific method is followed by an explanation of what science fair judges are looking for, how to be a responsible science fair participant, and safety precautions. Chapters include Food, Energy and Humans (experiments include testing for energy and carbohydrates); Fats, Proteins Vitamins and Minerals (testing for fats, proteins, Tyndall effect, vitamin C); Yeast, Baking Soda and Baking Powder (yeasts and sugars, yeast as a catalyst, many uses of baking soda); Dairy Products (turn milk into cheese, measure mineral content of milk); Fruits, Vegetables, Gelatin, Meat and Carbonated Drinks (keep fruits fresh, how enzymes affect gelatin, carbonation). A page of "Further Reading and Internet Addresses" is followed by an index. Unlike many of the science project books, this one doesn't tell kids what the outcomes are supposed to be. HOORAY AND HALLELUJIAH!!!! If you know how an experiment is supposed to turn out, it's not an experiment--it's a demonstration, or a magic trick. This title guides the reader to designing good experiments to narrow down the variables to one, and encourages them to repeat and vary the experiments to validate their hypotheses. Readers will want to have their own 3x5 cards handy to jot down questions that will inspire new science projects, because it's almost guaranteed every page will spawn at least three new possibilities. And this book has 128 pages. The illustrations are clear and easily understood by older readers and themselves will inspire readers to use charts, graphs and illustrations of their own in science projects they set up. Altogether one of the best series for science fair we've seen, this volume presents challenging and thought-provoking food based experiments for older readers. NOTE: Many of the experiments in this book use dangerous chemicals and solutions that require gloves, protective eye gear and extreme caution. The experiments in this book were previously published in Health Science Projects About Nutrition, Science Fair Success Using Supermarket Products, Science Projects About Kitchen Chemistry and Soda Pop Science Projects, all from Enslow.
