I’ve been known to run across the neighborhood for a bowl of strawberries and ice cream. I’ve turned my nose at the thought of cooked broccoli (sorry Mom.) And I’ve happily consumed enough spaghetti and marinara to feed a small army.
However, there are certain foods I truly love which bring out the most unique, pleasurable, and sometimes painful feelings in my life – and they ALL come from our green friends.
This month we will be looking at four types of veggies that really pack a spicy punch:
Onions, Garlic, Mustards, and Chili Peppers
We are going to start with the onion as it is the least fiery member of this clan. But first, please take a minute to review the four main concepts of science before we get going…
Excellent! Let’s get going!
Onions, like everything in the universe, are made up of ATOMS. One of the cool tricks that nearly all ATOMS perform is to bond with each other to form large groups of atoms called MOLECULES. These MOLECULES bond together within onions (and every living organism as well) to make up untold millions of microscopic “building blocks” called CELLS. So what we would call an onion is really just a group of CELLS bonded together to make up TISSUE. So if we were to put these guys into order from smallest to largest, it would look like this:
Atoms – Molecules – Cells – Tissues
ONION “GOO” ON THE RUN
Each onion cell is a miniature factory that uses resources to make fuel, process waste, create new cells, and a whole list of other cool activities. And, like any factory, some areas are blocked off from other areas like different departments in a store.
You wouldn’t want areas in a factory filled with pools of water mixing together with the electrical areas would you? No way!
Cells do a very good job at separating their departments as well. But when we cut through an onion, we rip apart these cells and cause the molecules within each “department” to DIFFUSE into each other.
I’M NOT CRYING. THERE’S JUST SOMETHING IN MY EYE!
After chopping up an onion the contents of the cells DIFFUSE into each other. When this happens, the ATOMS within the molecules start to rearrange into different kinds of molecules.
One of these new molecules is responsible for making you cry your eyes out!
This follows the LAW OF CONSERVATION which states that ATOMS cannot be created or destroyed, only rearranged into different molecules.
BEWARE – THE LACRIMATOR
This new molecule which causes your eyes to water is known as “The Lacrimator” and its DENSITY very low at the surface of the onion tissue when it is cut. However, as time goes on, more and more Lacrimator molecules form as the contents of the onion cells continue to DIFFUSE into each other.
This is why your eyes do not immediately begin to water once an onion is cut. It takes a little time for this new molecule to form.
As the DENSITY of Lacrimator molecules increase, they begin to float through the air. If this molecule touches your eye, it attacks your nerves and causes your eyes to DIFFUSE more water (so that the Lacrimator can get washed out of your eyes.)
PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP!
If you have ever experienced this common burning feeling while cutting onions, let me assure you:
There is a way to make it stop! But first, a story…
I remember my aunt Teddy making gallons of spaghetti sauce at a time. She would spend hours in the kitchen and I appreciated every bit of it!
One of her methods of preparing sauce was always curious to me – she would always put a match in her mouth while cutting the onions. She said it kept your eyes from crying. Naturally, I followed her lead. Unfortunately, I still found my tears soaking the matchstick to the consistency of a soggy twig.
To be honest, I really do not know if this “trick” works. I have never found any research on this myth. However, there are two methods I know for certain to keep myself from turning into a blubbery mess while preparing onions:
#1 – Chill the onion for 30-60 minutes in ice water.
ATOMS do not move as fast when they have a smaller amount of heat energy. Once you start to chop your onion, the molecules within each “department” of the onion cannot DIFFUSE into each other as easily. Therefore, it will take longer for the Lacrimator to form and move around into the air.
*FYI, by soaking the onion in water you increase the DENSITY of the papery onion skin. This makes the skin tougher. Since it is not as brittle, you can peel that brownish skin off a lot easier. You can learn more about this concept at How To Teach Science During Dinner – With Salad
#2 – Cut faster!
I’m not saying your hands should look like a lawnmower blade… just make certain your knife is sharp and you make each cut count!
Learn more about chemistry concepts in Classic Science: Chemistry for the Family and be certain to come back every Thursday or subscribe to The Blog of Mr.Q to learn more about how to teach science during breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
