Science Lab In A Supermarket

Science Lab in a Supermarket

Presents a variety of experiments using items you can buy in the supermarket, and explains the scientific basis for such things as the flexible plastic strips that cover doorways leading into the meat departments in many large marketsFrom School Library JournalGr 5-8-Friedhoffer presents a variety of experiments that can be conducted using products found on supermarket shelves, including fruits and vegetables, packaged foods, cleaning supplies, and dairy products. In addition, the author considers how grocery store designers use the study of human behavior to plan the location of aisles and the arrangement of products. Each experiment includes a list of materials, step-by-step procedures, and a brief discussion of results. Boxed "Observation" activities and "Challenges" are scattered throughout. Explanations are clear and thought provoking, and the writing style is lively and humorous. Some of the line drawings help clarify explanations; others are cartoonlike. Safety icons and cautions in bold print are included where needed. A conversion table for English and metric measurements appears in the appendix. A resource section includes related books and Internet sites. Readers will learn a great deal about consumerism as well as the physical science of common supermarket products.-Carolyn Angus, The Claremont Graduate School, CACopyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.