Question 1

What happens when you bake bread?

Accepted Answer

When you bake bread, the heat causes the dough to rise. This is because tiny bubbles of gas, created by yeast, expand and make the bread fluffy.

Question 2

Why does bread dough need to rise before baking?

Accepted Answer

Bread dough needs to rise to let the yeast make bubbles of gas. These bubbles help the bread become light and airy when it bakes.

Question 3

Why does butter melt when heated?

Accepted Answer

Butter melts because it's made of fat, and heat makes the fat turn from a solid to a liquid. It's like how ice turns into water when it gets warm.

Question 4

Why does an egg turn solid when cooked?

Accepted Answer

When you cook an egg, the heat makes the proteins inside change shape and stick together. This is why the egg goes from runny to solid.

Question 5

What gives bread its brown crust?

Accepted Answer

The brown crust on bread comes from a reaction when heat makes sugar and proteins change color. It's similar to when food gets crispy.

Question 6

Why do onions make you cry?

Accepted Answer

Cutting onions releases a gas that can irritate your eyes. This gas mixes with tears to make something that stings, causing you to cry.

Question 7

What makes candy hard and crunchy?

Accepted Answer

Candy becomes hard when sugar is cooked until it turns solid. Cooling the melted sugar quickly makes it brittle and crunchy.

Question 8

Why does milk go sour?

Accepted Answer

Milk goes sour because tiny bacteria eat the sugars in it, making it turn acidic. This is why sour milk tastes different.

Question 9

What happens when you toast bread?

Accepted Answer

Toasting bread makes it brown and crispy because the heat dries it out and changes the sugars. This is why toasted bread tastes different.

Question 10

How does baking powder make cakes rise?

Accepted Answer

Baking powder makes cakes rise by producing bubbles of gas in the batter. These bubbles expand when heated, making the cake light and fluffy.

Question 11

Why does chocolate melt in your mouth?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate melts in your mouth because it has a fat that melts at body temperature. That's why it feels smooth and creamy when you eat it.

Question 12

What gives cheese its flavor?

Accepted Answer

Cheese gets its flavor from bacteria and mold that change its taste and texture. Different cheeses have different flavors because they use different bacteria.

Question 13

Why do apples turn brown when cut?

Accepted Answer

Apples turn brown when cut because the air reacts with compounds inside the apple. This is called oxidation, and it's why the flesh darkens.

Question 14

How do you know when pasta is cooked?

Accepted Answer

Pasta is cooked when it's soft but still a little firm. This is called 'al dente,' and you can test it by biting it to see how chewy it is.

Question 15

What makes popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn pops because water inside the kernel turns to steam when heated. The steam builds up pressure until the kernel explodes and puffs up.

Question 16

Why do we chill dough before baking cookies?

Accepted Answer

Chilling dough before baking cookies helps make the dough firmer. This makes it easier to handle and helps the cookies spread evenly in the oven.

Question 17

What makes the bubbles in fizzy drinks?

Accepted Answer

The bubbles in fizzy drinks come from carbon dioxide gas. This gas is dissolved in the liquid and creates bubbles when it escapes.

Question 18

How does sugar make ice cream creamy?

Accepted Answer

Sugar helps ice cream stay creamy by lowering the freezing point and making it softer. This keeps the ice cream from becoming too hard while frozen.

Question 19

Why does meat turn brown when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Meat turns brown when cooked because heat changes its proteins and sugars. This process adds flavor and makes the meat safe to eat.

Question 20

What causes jelly to set and become firm?

Accepted Answer

Jelly sets and becomes firm because of a substance called pectin. When mixed with sugar and acid, pectin forms a gel that thickens the jelly.

The Chemistry of Cooking: Reactions That Transform Ingredients - 20 FAQs Explained Simply