A bowl of nails for breakfast

The next time you pour a big bowl of iron-fortified breakfast cereal you might want to take a closer peek at what you are eating. Some cereals contain iron -- the same stuff used to make nails. Here's an experiment that will prove there's iron in some cereals.

Ingredients

• Iron-fortified breakfast cereal
• Zip-top bag
• Neodymium magnet (sometimes used in toy sets)
• Water

Instructions

STEP 1: Place one cup of iron-fortified breakfast cereal into the zip-top bag and crush the cereal into small pieces.

STEP 2: Add a cup and a half of water to the crushed iron-fortified breakfast cereal and squeeze the outside of the bag until the cereal and water are thoroughly mixed.

STEP 3: Using your hand, slide the neodymium magnet on the outside of the bag for about 45 seconds.

STEP 4: Holding the neodymium magnet against the bag, flip the bag over and take a peek at where the magnet is pressing against the bag.

Explanation

The small dark pieces you are seeing around the magnet is metallic iron. Iron is added to different cereals as a supplement. Iron is important for good health, and if you don't get enough you may feel tired and even sick.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator for the Bootheel Youth Museum. Check out his science blog "Hooked On Science" at jasonthescienceguysblog.blogspot.com for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@bootheelyouthmuseum.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.