Question 1

What is the chemistry of cooking?

Accepted Answer

The chemistry of cooking is like magic! It's how all the ingredients in your food change when you mix, heat, or cool them. Different recipes create different reactions, making food taste yummy.

Question 2

Why does bread rise when we bake it?

Accepted Answer

Bread rises because of a tiny creature called yeast. Yeast eats sugar and makes gas bubbles, which get trapped in the dough and make it puff up and turn into fluffy bread.

Question 3

Why do onions make you cry?

Accepted Answer

Onions have a special chemical that escapes when you cut them. It turns into a gas and makes your eyes sting, causing tears to wash it away.

Question 4

Why does sugar melt when heated?

Accepted Answer

Sugar melts when heated because it breaks down from solid crystals into a thick syrup. This happens because the heat makes sugar molecules move faster and further apart.

Question 5

How does baking powder make cakes rise?

Accepted Answer

Baking powder is like a superhero for cakes! When mixed with wet ingredients, it forms bubbles of gas that help the cake to rise and become tall and fluffy.

Question 6

Why does popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn has water inside each kernel. When it gets hot, the water turns into steam, and the pressure makes the kernel explode and turn into a fluffy white snack!

Question 7

Why does food change color when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Food changes color when cooked because heat changes the way molecules in food reflect light. For example, raw meat turns brown because heat changes the proteins.

Question 8

How does salt make food taste better?

Accepted Answer

Salt makes food taste better by enhancing flavors and reducing bitterness. It's like turning up the volume on the yummy tastes in the food!

Question 9

Why does ice cream melt on a hot day?

Accepted Answer

Ice cream melts on a hot day because the heat causes the ice crystals inside it to turn into liquid. The warmer it gets, the faster it melts into a sweet soup.

Question 10

Why does meat turn brown when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Meat turns brown when cooked because the heat changes the proteins inside the meat. This reaction is called the Maillard reaction, which also adds delicious flavors.

Question 11

What makes dough sticky?

Accepted Answer

Dough is sticky because of gluten, which is formed when flour is mixed with water. Gluten acts like glue and holds everything together, making the dough stretchy.

Question 12

Why does chocolate melt in your mouth?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate melts in your mouth because it contains a special fat called cocoa butter. Cocoa butter melts at body temperature, making chocolate smooth and delightful.

Question 13

Why is cheese stretchy when melted?

Accepted Answer

Cheese is stretchy when melted because of proteins that hold together tightly when cold. Heat loosens these proteins, allowing them to stretch out when you pull them.

Question 14

How does vinegar help in cooking?

Accepted Answer

Vinegar adds a tangy flavor to food and can make meat tender by breaking down its proteins. It also helps preserve food by keeping bacteria away.

Question 15

Why does oil float on water?

Accepted Answer

Oil floats on water because it's less dense, meaning it's lighter than water. They also don't mix because their molecules are different, like when you try to mix water with air.

Question 16

What happens when we fry food?

Accepted Answer

When we fry food, the hot oil cooks it quickly, making the outside crispy. The heat also helps create new flavors and makes the food crunchy and tasty.

Question 17

Why does boiling water make bubbles?

Accepted Answer

Boiling water makes bubbles because the heat turns water into steam. The steam rises as bubbles when it gets hot enough to break through the surface.

Question 18

Why is lemon juice sour?

Accepted Answer

Lemon juice is sour because it contains acid. Your taste buds detect this acid, and that's why it tastes tangy and zesty.

Question 19

How does sugar make things sweet?

Accepted Answer

Sugar makes things sweet because when it touches your tongue, it sends signals to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as a sweet taste, which makes you happy!

Question 20

Why does pasta become soft when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Pasta becomes soft when cooked because it absorbs water and the heat weakens its structure. This makes it nice and soft enough to eat with your favorite sauce.

The Chemistry of Cooking: Science in the Kitchen - 20 FAQs Explained Simply