Question 1

What happens when you heat food while cooking?

Accepted Answer

When you heat food, the ingredients inside start to change. This can make foods softer, tastier, and safe to eat.

Question 2

Why do vegetables change color when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Vegetables change color because the heat breaks down some of the pigments, or colors, in them, resulting in new colors.

Question 3

Why does bread rise in the oven?

Accepted Answer

Bread rises because yeast creates tiny bubbles of gas inside the dough, making it expand and become fluffy as it bakes.

Question 4

How does sugar turn into caramel?

Accepted Answer

When sugar is heated, it melts and then changes color to brown, turning into caramel with a sweet taste.

Question 5

What makes eggs solid when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Eggs turn solid because the heat causes the proteins inside them to change shape, sticking together to form a firmer texture.

Question 6

Why do spices smell stronger when cooked?

Accepted Answer

When cooked, spices release their oils, which makes them smell stronger and fill the air with their nice fragrances.

Question 7

What happens to meat when you cook it?

Accepted Answer

Cooking meat makes it softer and easier to chew by breaking down the tough parts. It also makes it safe to eat by killing germs.

Question 8

Why does ice cream melt when it's hot?

Accepted Answer

Ice cream melts because the heat turns the ice inside it into water, making it go from solid to liquid.

Question 9

Why does pasta get soft in boiling water?

Accepted Answer

Pasta gets soft because the hot water makes it absorb water and swell, turning it from hard to chewy.

Question 10

How does baking soda help cakes rise?

Accepted Answer

Baking soda makes cakes rise by producing bubbles of gas when it mixes with the wet ingredients in the batter.

Question 11

What makes popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn pops because the heat turns water inside the corn into steam, causing it to explode and turn inside out.

Question 12

Why does milk boil over so quickly?

Accepted Answer

Milk boils over because the bubbles on top trap steam, pushing milk up and over the edge of the pot.

Question 13

How does salt affect cooking?

Accepted Answer

Salt is added to food to enhance flavor and can also help foods cook better by changing the water's boiling point.

Question 14

Why is frying food in oil different from boiling it?

Accepted Answer

Frying food in oil makes it crispy because the heat is very high, while boiling in water cooks food through but keeps it soft.

Question 15

What happens to cheese when it melts?

Accepted Answer

When cheese melts, it turns soft and stretchy because the heat causes the proteins and fats to change structure.

Question 16

Why do some foods burn easily?

Accepted Answer

Some foods burn easily because they contain sugar and other ingredients that turn dark quickly under high heat.

Question 17

How does marinating meat change its flavor?

Accepted Answer

Marinating meat adds flavor because the acids and spices in the marinade soak in, making the meat taste better.

Question 18

Why does food get cold so quickly?

Accepted Answer

Food cools down because the heat escapes into the surrounding air, making it lose warmth over time.

Question 19

Why does chocolate melt in your mouth?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate melts in your mouth because it's made of cocoa butter, which has a low melting point that matches your body temperature.

Question 20

What is steam, and why do we see it when cooking?

Accepted Answer

Steam is the gas that forms when water heats up and turns into vapor, which we see as a mist or cloud when cooking.

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