Question 1

What happens when we cook food?

Accepted Answer

When we cook food, heat changes its color, taste, and texture. It also makes some foods safer to eat and easier to digest.

Question 2

Why do onions make us cry?

Accepted Answer

Onions have a special chemical that turns into a gas when we cut them. This gas irritates our eyes and makes them water.

Question 3

Why does bread rise?

Accepted Answer

Bread rises because of yeast. Yeast is a tiny living thing that eats sugar and produces gas bubbles, making the dough puff up.

Question 4

Why do apples turn brown when cut?

Accepted Answer

Apples turn brown because of a process called oxidation. When you cut an apple, its juices meet the air, and this causes browning.

Question 5

What makes popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn pops because it has water inside. When heated, the water turns into steam, and the pressure causes the kernel to explode.

Question 6

How do eggs change when cooked?

Accepted Answer

When eggs are cooked, the heat changes the proteins inside them. This makes the eggs solidify from runny to firm.

Question 7

Why does ice cream melt?

Accepted Answer

Ice cream melts because of heat from the air. The heat makes the ice cream warm up and turn from solid to liquid.

Question 8

How do we get crispy chips?

Accepted Answer

We get crispy chips by frying or baking them. The heat removes moisture, leaving behind a crunchy texture.

Question 9

Why do we add salt to boiling water?

Accepted Answer

Adding salt to boiling water makes some foods taste better. It can also help water boil a bit faster.

Question 10

What makes cookies soft or crunchy?

Accepted Answer

The ingredients and how long they bake affect cookie texture. More sugar and baking time can make them crunchy, while less can keep them soft.

Question 11

Why does butter melt but sugar doesn't?

Accepted Answer

Butter melts because it is mostly fat, which turns to liquid with heat. Sugar needs more heat to melt because it is more solid.

Question 12

Why does soda fizz when opened?

Accepted Answer

Soda fizzes because it contains carbon dioxide gas. When you open the bottle, the gas escapes and creates bubbles.

Question 13

What makes meat brown when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Meat turns brown when cooked due to a reaction with heat. This process changes the meat's color and adds flavor.

Question 14

Why do spices make food smell good?

Accepted Answer

Spices have special oils that produce strong aromas. Heating these spices releases their smells, making food smell delicious.

Question 15

Why do pancakes bubble when cooked?

Accepted Answer

The bubbles in pancakes come from cooking gases forming in the batter. The heat makes these bubbles rise to the surface.

Question 16

Why does soup thicken over time?

Accepted Answer

Soup thickens as water evaporates during cooking. Ingredients like flour or potatoes also release starch, making it thicker.

Question 17

Why do we use lemon on fish?

Accepted Answer

Lemon adds flavor and reduces the fishy smell. The acid in lemon also helps to tenderize the fish slightly.

Question 18

How does yeast help dough rise?

Accepted Answer

Yeast is a microorganism that eats sugar in the dough. As it digests sugar, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles which make the dough rise and become fluffy.

Question 19

Why do cakes rise in the oven?

Accepted Answer

Cakes rise in the oven because of baking powder or baking soda. These ingredients create air bubbles that expand with heat, causing the cake to rise.

Question 20

Why does chocolate harden when cooled?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate hardens because it has fats that solidify at cooler temperatures. When melted chocolate cools down, it turns back into a solid form.

The Chemistry of Cooking: How Ingredients React and Transform - 20 FAQs Explained Simply