GEOMETRIC SHAPE AND FORCE REQUIRED TO RUPTURE WATERMELON SEED (Colocynthis citrullus)

This research aims to studying the geometric shape of watermelon seeds (Colocynthis citrullus) and force required to rupture these seeds under different moisture levels and at two orientations of the seed (axis of symmetry of the seed is vertical and horizontal) . A geometric shape of the seed was suggested to compare between calculated volume of the seed according to this suggestion and its actual volume showed that calculated volume is reliable. The study showed that within the range of moisture content of the tested seeds, the force required to rupture the seed decreases as moisture content increases and magnitude of this force is higher when this axis of symmetry of the seed subjected to this force is vertical. The greatest rupture force (seed axis of symmetry is vertical) is 57.2 N and is 47 N when axis is horizontal.