You observe this every time you place an ice cube in a glass of water: The ice floats to the top because it is less dense than water. While different materials have different densities, liquids, solids and gases of a single material can have different densities as well. This means that, for example, one cup of water has more atoms than one cup of oil, and those individuals atoms are heavier. Additionally, water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, while oils are predominantly carbon and hydrogen. Oil molecules are much larger and don’t pack together as well by comparison. Water molecules are small and pack tightly together. This has to do with how tightly the molecules of each substance pack together and how heavy the atoms are that make up each liquid. The first important density difference when it comes to frying is that water is more dense than oil. While they are roughly the same size, the ice cube is heavier: It is more dense. For example, imagine you held an ice cube in one hand and a marshmallow in the other. Understanding densityĭensity is how much an object weighs given a specific volume. When these density differences interact in just the right way, you get an explosion. There is a difference in density between oil and water and differences in the density of water between its solid, liquid and gas states. The reason frozen turkeys explode, at its core, has to do with differences in density. I am a chemist who studies plant, fungal and animal compounds and have a love of food chemistry.

What is so dangerous about putting even a partially frozen turkey in a deep-fryer? Failure to do so may lead to an explosive disaster. If you are considering deep-frying this year, do not forget to thaw and dry your turkey before placing it in the pot. The vast majority of these accidents happen because people put frozen turkeys into boiling oil. But this method of cooking can be a very dangerous undertaking.Įvery fall, millions of dollars of damage, trips to the ER and even deaths result from attempts to deep-fry turkeys. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.ĭeep-frying a turkey is a great way to get a delicious, moist meal for Thanksgiving.

Deep fried turkey