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Hangi Cooking Science Worksheet

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Hangi Cooking Science Worksheet

A community group is planning a hangi. Use the science evidence and scenarios on this sheet to explain how heat, water and chemical change affect the cooking. Answer in your own words; use evidence where asked.

How does heat reach the food?

In a hangi, heated stones transfer energy through direct contact to food trays and nearby material. Hot gases and steam move energy by convection. The stones and hot surroundings also emit infrared radiation. These processes happen together. Damp coverings can produce steam, while soil helps reduce heat loss to the surroundings.

1.The group places a metal tray on hot stones. Which process transfers thermal energy directly through the touching tray and stones?

Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Evaporation

2.Hot gases rise around the food and cooler gases move in to replace them. Name the heat-transfer process and explain what is moving.

3.The stones are hot, but the food does not touch them. It can still gain energy from infrared waves emitted by the stones. What is this transfer called?

Materials and cooking changes

A hangi combines heated stones, food, damp coverings and soil. The coverings and soil limit heat loss and help retain steam. Cooking also changes food at a molecular level: heat alters the structure of proteins, and chemical reactions produce changes in colour, texture and flavour. These effects depend on temperature and time. Evidence note: Dense, heat-resistant volcanic rocks can absorb and store substantial thermal energy. Rocks with trapped moisture may crack or fragment when heated, so rocks should be chosen carefully and inspected.

4.Using the evidence note, why can a suitable volcanic rock be useful for a hangi? Give one property that helps it store or transfer heat, and one safety consideration when heating rocks.

5.Explain how damp coverings and a layer of soil help the cooking process. Include the role of water or steam and the effect of insulation.

6.During cooking, raw meat becomes firmer and changes colour. What happens to its proteins when heated?

7.True or false: In a hangi, only direct contact transfers thermal energy to the food. Correct the statement if it is false.

TrueFalse

Investigate and apply

The group wants to compare how well two covering materials retain heat in a safe classroom model. A fair test changes one factor at a time and uses measurements rather than guesses.

8.Design a fair test comparing damp cotton cloth with a second safe covering material. State what you would keep the same, what you would change, what you would measure, and one safety precaution. Do not use real hangi stones or an open fire in a classroom test.

9.A group wants to reduce cooking time. Suggest one change that could increase the rate of energy transfer, and explain why it may help. Include a practical limitation or safety concern.

10.A conventional oven heats food mainly through hot air and radiation from its hot surfaces, while a hangi uses hot stones, moving hot gases and steam in an insulated pit. Give one similarity and one difference in how these cooking methods transfer energy or retain moisture.

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Hangi Cooking Science Worksheet

Hangi Cooking Science Worksheet

How does heat reach the food?

Materials and cooking changes

Investigate and apply

3 printable pages

About This Worksheet

Free in Kuraplan

Print-Ready

AI-Generated

For Teachers & Parents

Need a custom version of this worksheet?

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