A Microwave Affect How Much Bacteria Is Killed In Ground Beef

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Research Plan and Project Summary
The research questions for this experiment are “Does the power level of a microwave affect how much bacteria is killed in ground beef?” and “Is there a way to predict how much bacteria will be killed at any level of power that is divisible by 10?”. Each power level on a microwave has certain functions. For example, 10% is for softening foods like butter or chocolate, 50% is for slow cooking, and 100% is for regular cooking or boiling. As the power level increases, the temperature level increases with it. High temperatures have been proven to kill bacteria, so every 10% increase in power should cause more bacteria to be killed.
This research is important scientifically because it may increase our understanding on how microwaves affect bacteria. As for the impact on society, many people are hospitalized due to foodborne illnesses every year, and this could easily be avoided if the public knew how to cook food properly. If it turns out that some levels of power kill the same amount of bacteria, there would be no reason to use a higher level than needed. Using the minimum level required would save energy. …show more content…

The formula most likely will not be exact, but it should be close. As stated above, the higher the power, the higher the temperature of the food will be. The higher the temperature, the more bacteria will be killed. For this reason I think that more bacteria will be killed as the power level