I suppose we all think about chocolate and physics sometimes. Around here, we think about chocolate approximately all the time, so whenever our thoughts lightly turn to physics, there it is: chocolate and physics. You may only think about it when you try to make fudge and end up with something resembling chocolate-flavored sand. But it's just about inescapable, because chocolate has some particularly interesting characteristics as a substance.
For one thing, there are six different crystalline states cocoa butter can take. This is why chocolate sometimes does such peculiar things, like seizing up if a bit of steam gets into it during the melting process.
Here are some of my favorite links on the subject:
- Every single little detail of why water messes with melted chocolate.
- Understanding physics lets you cheat on tempering.
- The Physical Chemistry of Making Fudge is completely practical -- don't make fudge without it.
- Measuring the Speed of Light with Chocolate is more theoretical, but you can try the experiment yourself.
- And in case you get too serious, read the argument that chocolate is an element.
