| A shiny stainless
steel frying pan - |
 |
|
A black frying pan
that says "Non-Stick" on it - |
 |
You decide to cook the eggs
in the stainless steel pan, and the pancakes in the non-stick
pan. Everything is looking very good so far - you've
flipped the pancakes perfectly and they have that perfect golden
color, and the scent of coffee is filling the house. But,
when the eggs look like they are ready, you try to lift them
from the pan and they are STUCK!! You cannot remove
the eggs from the stainless steel pan without making a total
mess!
Why did the eggs stick to
the stainless steel pan, while the pancakes easily glided off
the one that said "Non-Stick"?
Moreover, what is this this
special "Non-Stick" material and why aren't all of your mother's
pans made out of it?
When you arrive at school the next morning, you find your
school's chemistry teacher, Mr. Polymer, and mention your
findings to him. Mr. Polymer explains to you that the
special non-stick coating is actually a man-made material called
Teflon. You ask him, if nothing sticks to Teflon, why
isn't all cookware coated with the material. Mr. Polymer
continues to explain that there is a
$multi-million dollar$ controversy surrounding Teflon's
use, and that it has been linked to tragic illness and death!
You wonder how such a marvelous invention
like Teflon could possibly harm people who use it. Mr.
Polymer informs you that the World Health Organization will be
holding a hearing next month, examining both sides of the great
Teflon debate.
