======Iron in Cereal====== **Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\ **Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\ **Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\ \\ **Categories:** {{$demo.categories}} \\ **Alternative titles:** How Much Iron is in Cereal ====Summary==== {{$demo.summary}} ====Procedure==== - Blend cereal and water until completely smooth. - Pour the slurry into a zip-lock bag and seal. - Run a strong magnet over the side of the bag and see the pieces of iron collect. ====Links==== How to extract iron from cereal - BBC Science Focus Magazine: {{youtube>oQ5lzpAw2qE?}}\\ Found IRON in my cereal!! EASY KIDS SCIENCE - WhizKidScience: {{youtube>8p4_p63pA98?}}\\ 📄 Mag-nificent Breakfast Cereal - Science Buddies: [[https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/BioChem_p027/biotechnology-techniques/iron-in-breakfast-cereal]]\\ ====Variations==== * Weigh pellets: transfer dried iron to weighing paper and measure mass. * Test other iron-fortified foods (enriched bread, infant cereal, formula, energy bars, vitamin tablets). * Compare magnets (bar, neodymium, horseshoe) or magnet placement to see effects on capture. * Try tap vs. distilled water to check if minerals affect slurry flow or collection. * Compare iron with the stated amount on the label of the cereal. ====Safety Precautions==== * Use caution with strong magnets—keep away from electronics, credit cards, and medical implants. * Supervise blender use; keep hands and utensils out while running. * Do not eat anything that has been in a lab or in contact with lab equipment. ====Questions to Consider==== * Why does a magnet pull iron from cereal? * Why use distilled water? (It reduces dissolved minerals that might change slurry thickness or leave residues that obscure the iron). * If no pellet appears, what troubleshooting steps could you try? (Use a stronger magnet, slow the flow over the magnet area, blend more thoroughly, or repeat passes with additional rinse water).