Good enough to eat

摘要

This article shows how the physical testing of food ingredients and products can be used as a starting point for exploring aspects of physics. The three main areas addressed are: mechanical properties of solid materials; liquid flow; optical techniques for measuring sugar concentration. The activities described were originally developed for students aged 16-19 following the Salters Horners Advanced Physics (SHAP) course, but some can be adapted for use with younger pupils.