Popcorn bursting from a pot in a cozy kitchen while a small child watches nearby.

Big question

为什么爆米花会爆开？

Wèishénme bàomǐhuā huì bào kāi?

Why does popcorn pop?

爆米花会爆开，是因为每一颗玉米里面都藏着一点点水，热起来以后就把它撑开了。

Bàomǐhuā huì bào kāi, shì yīnwèi měi yì kē yùmǐ lǐmiàn dōu cángzhe yìdiǎndiǎn shuǐ, rè qǐlái yǐhòu jiù bǎ tā chēng kāi le.

每一颗爆米花玉米里面，都藏着一小滴水。玉米热起来的时候，那滴水会变成蒸汽，一直往外撑。最后外面的硬壳撑不住了，就会砰地一下打开，里面软软白白的部分也翻出来了。

Měi yì kē bàomǐhuā yùmǐ lǐmiàn, dōu cángzhe yì xiǎo dī shuǐ. Yùmǐ rè qǐlái de shíhou, nà dī shuǐ huì biànchéng zhēngqì, yìzhí wǎng wài chēng. Zuìhòu wàimiàn de yìngké chēng bù zhù le, jiù huì pēng de yíxià dǎkāi, lǐmiàn ruǎnruǎn báibái de bùfen yě fān chūlái le.

爆米花开始爆的时候，你最先听到的会是什么声音呢？

Bàomǐhuā kāishǐ bào de shíhou, nǐ zuì xiān tīngdào de huì shì shénme shēngyīn ne?

Popcorn pops because a tiny bit of water inside each kernel gets hot and bursts it open.

Inside each popcorn kernel is a tiny drop of water. When the kernel gets hot, that water turns into steam and pushes harder and harder. At last the shell cannot hold it anymore, so pop! The soft white inside flips out.

What sound do you hear first when popcorn starts to pop?