Ap Research Question
Research Question
People may think of fruit as a sweet, healthy option for a snack. What those people do not know is that some of those fruits can be very damaging to their teeth and to their bodies. One reason for this is that a variety of commonly digested fruits are extremely acidic. This experiment will test the pH level of everyday fruits to see how acidic they actually are. When eaten, which fruit will have the lowest pH (be the most acidic)?
Hypothesis
A sign that a fruit is acidic is a sour taste. Out of all the fruits being tested, lemon is the most sour. The common assumption is that the lemon, the most sour fruit, will be the most acidic and that the banana, the least acidic fruit, will be the most alkaline. The hypothesis of this experiment fits this assumption. If the pH of different fruits mixed with saliva are tested, then the pH levels of lemon will be the most acidic.
Background Research
pH is the “measure[ment] of [the] hydrogen ion concentration of a solution;” the more hydrogen ions, the lower the pH is (Academic …show more content…
Eating alkaline foods can balance off too much acidity in a diet, which can be harmful to one’s body. The alkaline diet is trending because it is said that eating alkaline foods can increase weight loss. When someone gains weight, a body is more likely to “‘adapt’ to a buildup of excess acidity” (Bridgeford). This large amount of acidity is then stored in tissue containing fat cells, which increases body weight. Eating a lot of greens, which generally have a high pH, can cancel out this excess of acidic substances.
This topic leads into the next question of why acidic foods are harmful to teeth and to a body. Acidic substances softens and eats away at tooth enamel. Fruits that most people deem “healthy” can actually hurt their teeth (Tosuni-O’Neill). Once the white enamel is chipped away, the tooth is more sensitive and “can become discolored”
People may think of fruit as a sweet, healthy option for a snack. What those people do not know is that some of those fruits can be very damaging to their teeth and to their bodies. One reason for this is that a variety of commonly digested fruits are extremely acidic. This experiment will test the pH level of everyday fruits to see how acidic they actually are. When eaten, which fruit will have the lowest pH (be the most acidic)?
Hypothesis
A sign that a fruit is acidic is a sour taste. Out of all the fruits being tested, lemon is the most sour. The common assumption is that the lemon, the most sour fruit, will be the most acidic and that the banana, the least acidic fruit, will be the most alkaline. The hypothesis of this experiment fits this assumption. If the pH of different fruits mixed with saliva are tested, then the pH levels of lemon will be the most acidic.
Background Research
pH is the “measure[ment] of [the] hydrogen ion concentration of a solution;” the more hydrogen ions, the lower the pH is (Academic …show more content…
Eating alkaline foods can balance off too much acidity in a diet, which can be harmful to one’s body. The alkaline diet is trending because it is said that eating alkaline foods can increase weight loss. When someone gains weight, a body is more likely to “‘adapt’ to a buildup of excess acidity” (Bridgeford). This large amount of acidity is then stored in tissue containing fat cells, which increases body weight. Eating a lot of greens, which generally have a high pH, can cancel out this excess of acidic substances.
This topic leads into the next question of why acidic foods are harmful to teeth and to a body. Acidic substances softens and eats away at tooth enamel. Fruits that most people deem “healthy” can actually hurt their teeth (Tosuni-O’Neill). Once the white enamel is chipped away, the tooth is more sensitive and “can become discolored”