Where's the Beef?

Want a meaty science project? Cut the mustard and make a plan!

Each second, Americans are gobbling down about 550 hot dogs, according to Nathan's hot dog makers in Brooklyn, N.Y. That adds up to 19 billion wieners each year! Ever wonder what's the beefiest ingredient in America's favorite food? Mostly water. Many hot dog manufacturers use [H.sub.2]O to add weight to their product--so they can put less meat in your dog. But not all hot dogs contain the same amount of water. Sleuth out the least waterlogged dog with this red-hot science project.

Here's your research question: Which type of hot dog--beef, turkey, chicken, or tofu--contains the least amount of water? To find out, you need to whip up a step-by-step procedure, or plan.

If you're out of practice, your first plan might look like this:

Initial Procedure

1. Weigh four different types of hot dogs.

2. Use a microwave oven to cook each hot dog.

3. Weigh each one after cooking.

Who knew a science project could be so easy, right? Well, not exactly. Any experiment worth its weight in gold mustard should be easily repeatable. Think your friends can run your experiment exactly as you did? Probably not. That's like going on a road trip without a map--chances are, you'll wind up lost.

You need to beef up your procedure by adding details. For example: How many hot dogs will you use? How do you measure the weight of each dog? How long should it be cooked? At what temperature?

With a meaty plan, anyone can repeat your experiment exactly the way you did it. Here's a checklist to help you fine-tune your procedure:

* What materials will you need? Make a list, including amounts and measurements.

* Test one independent variable (the variable, or characteristic, you change) at a time. In this experiment, your independent variable is the type of hot dog--beef or chicken, for example.

* Identify one dependent variable (the characteristic that responds when you change the independent variable). Here, water weight qualifies as a dependent variable.

* For reliable results, keep all other variables, like the cooking time, constant, or unchanged.

* Don't forget to include a control, or standard, with which you can compare your data, or results. In this case, your control could be a hot dog advertised as "100 percent all-beef."

* Repeat the experiment. Did you get the same results? Possible errors in the first trial can skew your data.

Chew on these tips, then rewrite your initial plan. Your new procedure should be clearer and easier to follow, like the "Beefed-Up Procedure".

Finally, make sure your plan is safe, accurate, and complete. Are your instructions easy to follow? Are your steps complete? Recruit a friend or parent to try to follow your steps. Depending his or her comments, you may have to revise steps or add new ones.

For example, instead of cooking hot dogs for three minutes, you may find that five minutes yields more accurate results. When you think your plan cuts the mustard, conduct a trial run. Are there ways to improve your experiment? How does water affect the weight of other foods?

Beefed-Up Procedure

YOU NEED:

* three of each: all-beef, turkey, chicken, and tofu hot dogs * kitchen scale * microwave-safe plates * fork * oven mitts * clear plastic wrap * paper * pen

TO DO:

1. Create a data table as seen on p. 20.

2. Place each hot dog on a piece of plastic wrap. Place on scale and weigh each one. Record individual weights on data table.

3. Transfer hot dogs to individual microwave-safe plates. Use a fork to poke holes in each dog. (Safety precaution: It's important to pierce hot dogs to allow liquid to escape slowly.)

4. Place one plate in microwave. Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes, or until hot dog stops shrinking. (Safety precaution: Monitor hot dogs carefully to avoid burning.) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

5. Repeat Step 4 with the remaining plates.

6. After cooking, transfer hot dogs to individual pieces of plastic wrap.

7. Weigh each hot dog separately. Record data on data table.

8. Calculate the percentage of water in each wiener. Use this formula: Original weight - final weight = weight loss Weight loss - original weight x 100 = percentage of water in hot dog

9. Calculate the average percentage of water in each kind of hot dog. Compare results.

CONCLUSION: Which type of dog packs the most water?

We've shrunk a few hot dogs. Guess which types they are.

A. turkey; B. chicken; C. tofu; D. beef