The mathematics of coffee extraction: Searching for the ideal brew

Composed of over 1,800 chemical components, coffee is one of the most widely-consumed drinks in the world. The seeds (coffee beans) from the plant of the same name are roasted and ground, allowing a flow of hot water to extract their soluble content. Undissolved solids are filtered from the dissolved particles, and the resulting liquid becomes the concoction that much of the population drinks every day.