Awards Earned: 1st Place, 8th Life Science, PCA Science Fair 1st Place, 8th Life Science, ACSI Regional Science Fair 1st Place, 8th Physics, Lehigh Valley Science Fair Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award Participant, Delaware Valley Science Fair

At what pressure do different types of nuts crack?

The nut with the thickest shell will take the most amount of pressure to crack.

Various Nuts:
Hazelnuts
Almonds
Pecans
Walnuts
Brazil Nuts

Thirty pieces of each type of nut
Drill press
Hydraulic press
Caliper
Safety glasses

1] Measure the length, width and height of a nut.
2] Put the nut on the hydraulic press, laying it with one axis in the vertical direction.
3] Add pressure with the hydraulic press's manual handle until the nut cracks.
4] While adding pressure, watch the pressure gauge and record the highest pressure reading.
5] After the nut has cracked, measure the thickness of the shell in four different places with the caliper.
6] Repeat steps 1-5 for ten of each type of nut on each of the three axes.
7] After all nuts are cracked, average the data to find the average pressure it takes to crack each nut.

The Brazil nuts took the most amount of pressure to crack. The pecan on the other hand was the easiest to crack.

My hypothesis was incorrect. The Brazil nuts, which did not have the thickest shell, took the most amount of pressure to crack. I think the Brazil nut was the hardest to crack because it had the hardest shell. I also think the nut, which is very hard, supports the shell because it fit very tightly in it. I think I was incorrect because a shell could be very thick, but also be very soft, and it would still take less amount of pressure to crack. I also think I was incorrect because the more space between the shell and the nut the easier it was to crack. It may have been that it was easier to crack because the nut did not support the shell.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4

This Bible verse relates to my project because the nuts were under pressure. The pressure was put on them until they cracked. Satan likes to put us in situations that put us under pressure and keep putting pressure on us until we finally crack. We need to pray to God, and ask him to help us overcome the temptations. We also need to study His Word daily.

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