Get a Taste of Mother Earth

What could your breakfast cereal have in common with the Earth’s crust? It has similar materials, including iron, which is found in lots of places, such as rocks, metals and even your bloodstream.

• Breakfast cereal that contains iron, such as fortified cornflakes (Check the label to see how much iron each serving contains. The more the better.)
• Blender
• Magnet (as strong as possible)
• White piece of paper
• Resealable plastic bags
• Water

1. Fill blender with iron-fortified dry cereal. Add water and blend to create a cereal slurry (semi-liquid mixture).
2. Carefully pour the slurry into the resealable plastic bag.
3. Seal the bag and gently swirl the slurry while holding a strong magnet in contact with the outside of the plastic bag.
4. Stop swirling and slowly guide the magnet up the wall of the bag and look for iron filings following the magnet. The iron has been physically separated from the initial cereal flakes.
5. Release the magnet and observe the collected iron.

• Place a cornflake on the table. Can you move the cornflake with a magnet? Now place a cornflake floating in a small cup of water. Can the magnet move the cornflake now?
• In this activity, iron was physically separated from the cereal. What are other ways to separate materials in a mixture?
• What processes does a chemical engineer use to separate materials in a mixture?
• Repeat the activity with different types of cereals. Are you able to extract the most iron from the cereal with the highest iron content? (hint: check nutrition facts)
• Why do humans need iron in their diet?