Question 1

Why do eggs change from clear to white when cooked?

Accepted Answer

When you cook eggs, the heat changes the proteins inside them. These proteins unfold and connect with each other, turning the egg white from see-through to solid and white.

Question 2

Why does bread rise in the oven?

Accepted Answer

Bread rises because of yeast. Yeast is a tiny fungus that eats sugar and makes gas bubbles, which get trapped in the dough, making it fluffy.

Question 3

What makes cookies spread out and get flat in the oven?

Accepted Answer

Cookies spread out in the oven because the butter in them melts. As the butter melts, it allows the dough to spread out on the baking sheet.

Question 4

Why do apples turn brown after you cut them?

Accepted Answer

Apples turn brown because of a reaction with the air. When the apple is cut, a chemical inside it called an enzyme reacts with the oxygen and turns the apple brown.

Question 5

Why do onions make you cry when you cut them?

Accepted Answer

Onions make you cry because they release a gas when cut. This gas mixes with your eyes and turns into a mild acid, which irritates them and makes you tear up.

Question 6

What makes popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn pops because there's a small amount of water inside each kernel. When heated, the water turns to steam, creating pressure until the kernel explodes and puffs up.

Question 7

Why does meat get brown when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Meat turns brown because of heating, which causes a reaction between the proteins and sugars. This reaction gives cooked meat its brown color and delicious flavor.

Question 8

Why do raisins swell up in water?

Accepted Answer

Raisins swell up because they soak up water. The water moves into the raisins, making them look plump and juicy again.

Question 9

What makes jelly solidify after you cook it?

Accepted Answer

Jelly becomes solid because of a substance called pectin. When you heat fruit with sugar, pectin helps form a gel, making the jelly thick.

Question 10

Why does ice cream melt outside the freezer?

Accepted Answer

Ice cream melts because it warms up and turns back into a liquid. It’s made to stay frozen, so when it gets warm outside the freezer, the solid ice cream turns softer and starts to melt.

Question 11

Why does sugar dissolve in water?

Accepted Answer

Sugar dissolves in water because the water breaks it into tiny parts. These tiny sugar parts spread throughout the water, making it sweet.

Question 12

How does baking soda make cake fluffy?

Accepted Answer

Baking soda makes cakes fluffy by creating gas bubbles when mixed with something acidic. These bubbles help the cake to rise and become light and airy.

Question 13

What makes the crust of bread crispy?

Accepted Answer

The crust of bread gets crispy because of the heat in the oven. Heat dries out the surface and causes it to become crunchy.

Question 14

Why do fruits like lemons taste sour?

Accepted Answer

Lemons taste sour because they have a lot of acid in them. This acid is what makes them tangy and puckery.

Question 15

How does salt change the taste of food?

Accepted Answer

Salt changes the taste of food by enhancing other flavors. It makes the food taste better by balancing different flavors and reducing bitterness.

Question 16

Why do some cheeses melt and others don't?

Accepted Answer

Some cheeses melt because they're made with more fat and can break down when heated. Other cheeses have less fat and different structures, so they don't melt as easily.

Question 17

What makes whipped cream fluffy?

Accepted Answer

Whipped cream is fluffy because air gets trapped inside it when you whip it. This trapped air makes it light and full of bubbles.

Question 18

Why does milk go sour if left out too long?

Accepted Answer

Milk turns sour because of bacteria. These tiny creatures grow in warm milk and change its sugar into a sour-tasting acid.

Question 19

What causes a cake to rise in the oven?

Accepted Answer

A cake rises because of the gas bubbles created by baking powder or soda. The heat makes the bubbles expand, pushing the cake batter up.

Question 20

Why does peeling an orange release a strong smell?

Accepted Answer

Peeling an orange releases a smell because you break tiny oil cells in the skin. These oils have a strong citrus scent that fills the air.

The Chemistry of Cooking: Ingredients, Reactions, and Techniques - 20 FAQs Explained Simply