Peppermint's Impact on Water Temperature in Science Fair Project
Products containing mint, specifically peppermint, were tested to determine their effect on the temperature of different water-based liquids. While most mint products resulted in temperature increases, King Leo mints actually cooled down the liquid. Peppermint's cooling sensation is attributed to the compound menthol present in mint products. The research paper explores the various uses and benefits of peppermint oil, including reducing nausea, soothing stomachaches, and providing a cooling effect. Menthol, found in mint plants, triggers a perception of coldness in the mouth without changing the actual temperature.
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Science Fair Project:
Abstract: Many products have peppermint flavoring or oil to help enhance their flavor. Peppermint is popular in gum, toothpaste, tea, and other foods. Many peppermint products contain a chemical called menthol. Menthol helps make a cooling sensation in a person s mouth. This experiment was conducted to determine if peppermint mints, leaves, and extract were able to change the temperature of water based liquids. Over the course of this experiment most of the temperatures surprisingly went up. The only mint that cooled down a liquid was King Leo mints. Every other mint product increased the temperatures by 1 -10 . After three trials, Its been concluded that mint products can increase and decrease the temperature of Club soda, bottled water, and tap water. The hypothesis of this experiment was that mint products would decrease the temperature of water based liquids. This hypothesis was partly correct as some of the mint products decreased the temperature of some of the water based liquids but most surprisingly, increased the temperature of the liquids. The King Leo mint cooled down all of the Club soda cups, as well as changing the color.
Question: Will products containing mint increase or decrease the temperature of different water based liquids?
Research Paper: Peppermint oil can be used for many things from cooking, to your health, or to just make your house smell good. Peppermint oil is actually used to help people focus on important tests and papers. Medical studies show peppermint oil actually reduces nausea. There are many recipes that include the oil. This oil helps reduce fevers because of its cooling effects (Axe & Zielinskin, 2017). Peppermint is a popular flavoring in gum, toothpaste, and tea. Peppermint could also be used to sooth an upset stomach, and headaches (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2017). The reason pepper mint can sooth stomachs and headaches is because it has a calming and numbing effect called menthol. Also pepper mint can help nausea, fungi, and viruses. The cooling effect is because there is a chemical called menthol. Menthol can be used to reduce the effects of skin irritation caused by hives, poison ivy or poison oak. And even the common cold. Peppermint can kill types of bacteria as well (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2017). Menthol is used in many mint products. Menthol tricks your brain into thinking it taste cool/cold, (Whistler, 2016). Menthol triggers your ion channels and your mouth feels cool/cold but the temperature hasn t changed. It triggers your ion channels so much, that the air outside is cooler than your mouth, (Whistler, 2016). Menthol is a compound in mint plants that is either clear or white, and is a waxy, crystalline substance. Menthol can help with short term relief to sore throat irritations, muscle aches and pains, and sunburns. Mint leaves or oil containing high levels of menthol can also help repel mosquitoes. Menthol is a good way to provide a cooling sensation (Whistler, 2016).
Bibliography: Axe & Zielinski, 2017. Top 25 Peppermint Oil Uses and Benefits. Dr. Axe, 1 Sept. 2017, draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/. University of Maryland, 2017. Peppermint. University of Maryland Medical Center, 1 Jan. 2017, www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/peppermint. Whistler, Simon, 2016. Why Mint Tastes Cold, How the Word Spam Came to Mean Junk Message, Why Paper Cuts Hurt So Much and More... Today I Found Out, Feed Your Brain, 5 Feb. 2016, www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2016/02/why-mint-tastes-cold- how-the-word-spam-came-to-mean-junk-message-why-paper-cuts- hurt-so-much-and-more/.
Hypothesis: If mint products are put in water based liquids, then the temperature of the liquid will decrease.
Materials: cup measuring cup 12 plastic cups 3 King Leo Mints 2 liters of non- flavored sparkle water 3 mint leaves 1 container mint extract 5 bottles of fry s drinking water 1 package of mint Tic- Tacs 6 cups of sink water (tap) A Timer Thermometer
Procedures: 1. Get 12 solo cups and label four of them non-flavored sparkling water, label four of them drinking water and the last four tap water. 2. Put a cup of each liquid in their corresponding cups. 3. Take temperature of liquid (this is at the start of the experiment), record findings. 4. Place 1 King Leo Mint in 1 of the non-flavored sparkling water cups, 1 in the drinking water cups, and 1 in the tap water cups. Repeat with the mint leaves, mint extract, and mint Tic-Tacs (one in each type of water cup). 5. Leave mint products in liquids for 5 minutes (use a timer). 6. Remove mints and record temperature and any observations. 7. Repeat steps 1-6 two more times and record observations.
(data in a graph) Trail 1: Bottled Water Trail 1: Club Soda 64 64 62 62 60 60 58 58 56 56 54 54 52 52 50 50 King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac Bottled Water S Bottled Water E Club Soda Start Club Soda End
(data in a graph cont.) Trail 1: Tap Water Trail 2: Club Soda 64 64 62 62 60 60 58 58 56 56 54 54 52 52 50 50 King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac Tap Start Tap End Club Soda S Club Soda E
(data in a graph cont.) Trail 2: Tap water Trail 2: Bottled Water 64 64 62 62 60 60 58 58 56 56 54 54 52 52 50 50 King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac Tap S Tap E Bottle water s Bottle water e
(data in a graph cont.) Trial 3: Bottled Water Trial 3: Club Soda 64 64 62 62 60 60 58 58 56 56 54 54 52 52 50 50 King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac Bottled Water S Bottled Water E Club Soda S Club Soda E
(data in a graph cont.) Trial 3: Tap Water 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 King Leo Mint Ex Mint Leaf Tic Tac Tap Water S Tap Water E
Data Analysis: Over the course of this experiment most of the temperatures surprisingly went up. The only mint that cooled down a liquid was King Leo mints. Every other mint product increased the temperatures by 1 -10 . In trial 1 the King Leo mint increased the temperature by 1 In club soda. All of the other mints made the club soda temperature rise. The peppermint extract increased in all liquids except tap water, which decreased by 6 ! The last and final mint product the tic tac increased every one of our liquids.
Data Analysis: In trial 2 the King Leo mint made the club soda, tap, and bottled water turn pink, trial 2 club soda King Leo o. The starting degree is 54 ending degree was 53 . In club soda every mint was fizzing and bubbling, mint leaf was the most underactive mint out of the 4. club soda mint extract starting degree was 54 and the ending degree is 60 . Club sodas and mint leaf starting degree was 59 and stayed the same because the mint leaf floated on top. Club soda and tic tac starting degree was 58 and ended with 61 . Bottled water and King Leo starting degree is 57 and the ending degree was 60 . Bottled water mint extract starting degree was 60 and the ending degree was 54 bottled water mint leaf starting degree was 64 and the ending degree was 53 .For tic tac the starting degree was 65 and ended at 59 . For tap water King Leo the starting degree was 53 the ending was 51 . For the mint extract the starting was 63 and ended with 54 . For mint leaf the starting was 53 then the ending was 52 . The tic tac starting degree was 54 then the ending was 52 .
Data Analysis: In trial 3 the King Leo mint made the club soda, tap water, and bottled water turn pink. With King Leo and club soda, the temperature went down by 2 . Trial King Leo and tap water, the temperature went up by 5 . Trial 3 King Leo and bottled water, the temperature went down 3 . Trial 3 the mint extract made the club soda, tap water, and bottled water caused oil bubbles at the top. With mint extract and club soda, the temperature went up by 10 . With mint extract and tap water, the temperature went up 5 . With mint extract and bottled water, the temperature didn t go up or down. In trial 3 the mint leaf was next. The mint leaf just floated on top of the water. In mint leaf and club soda, the temperature went down 1 with Mint leaf and bottled water. The temperature went down 2 . The last couple trial in trial 3, the Tic Tacs when the tic tac was put into the water it looked like the tic tac had shed a layer. Tic Tacs and club soda, the temperature went up by 6 . With tic tac and tap water tic tac and tap water, the temperature went down by 1 . In tic tac and bottled water, the temperature went down 3 .
Conclusion: After three trials, Its been concluded that mint products can increase and decrease the temperature of Club soda, bottled water, and tap water. The hypothesis of this experiment was that mint products would decrease the temperature of water based liquids. This hypothesis was partly correct as some of the mint products decreased the temperature of some of the water based liquids but most surprisingly, increased the temperature of the liquids. The King Leo mint cooled down all of the Club soda cups, as well as changing the color. This science experiment had some shocking data but overall this experiment was a success.
Future Research: the mint in the liquids for a little bit longer than 5 min, this would help the mint soak and maybe even have a larger increase or decrease. Another further experiment is to use different mint products like different mint flavored gums. Using different liquids like juice, milk, or flavored sparkling water would have different results as well. Some future research for this experiment is to leave
