Question 1

What is the science behind baking bread?

Accepted Answer

When you bake bread, the yeast makes bubbles in the dough, which helps it rise. In the oven, those bubbles expand, making the bread fluffy and light.

Question 2

How does salt make food taste better?

Accepted Answer

Salt helps bring out the natural flavors in food. It makes sweet things taste sweeter and can even make bitter foods taste less bitter.

Question 3

Why do onions make you cry?

Accepted Answer

When you cut an onion, it releases a gas that mixes with water in your eyes and forms something like a mild acid. This makes your eyes sting and tear up to wash the acid away.

Question 4

Why do eggs turn solid when cooked?

Accepted Answer

Eggs are full of proteins, and when you heat them, these proteins unfold and link together. This forms a solid structure instead of the liquid one.

Question 5

How does sugar dissolve in water?

Accepted Answer

When you mix sugar in water, the water molecules pull the sugar apart bit by bit until you can't see it anymore. That's why it disappears!

Question 6

Why do cakes rise when baked?

Accepted Answer

Cakes rise because of baking powder or baking soda, which produces gas bubbles when heated. These bubbles expand and make the cake puff up and become airy.

Question 7

What happens when ice cream melts?

Accepted Answer

Ice cream solid because it's cold. When it warms up, the ice (frozen water) melts, turning back into liquid, and the rest of the ingredients change into a creamy liquid.

Question 8

Why do cookies become crispy?

Accepted Answer

Cookies turn crispy when the water in them evaporates during baking. The sugar and fat in the dough also help to create a nice, crunchy texture.

Question 9

Why does popcorn pop?

Accepted Answer

Inside a popcorn kernel is a bit of water. When heated, the water turns into steam, builds up pressure, and then bursts the kernel open, popping the popcorn.

Question 10

How does vinegar clean stubborn stains?

Accepted Answer

Vinegar is acidic, and it works by breaking down the sticky residue or mineral buildup. This helps lift stains away from surfaces.

Question 11

What makes hot peppers spicy?

Accepted Answer

Hot peppers have a chemical called capsaicin, which tricks your mouth into feeling heat. That's why they taste spicy and make your tongue burn a bit.

Question 12

Why does chocolate melt in your mouth?

Accepted Answer

Chocolate melts easily because it has a lot of fat, and the fat melts at a temperature close to your body temperature. This is why it melts smoothly in your mouth.

Question 13

How does frying make food crispy?

Accepted Answer

When you fry food, hot oil quickly cooks the surface and removes water, forming a crispy layer. It's the heat and lack of water that make it crunchy.

Question 14

Why does milk turn sour if left out?

Accepted Answer

Milk has bacteria that can make acid. If you leave the milk out, these bacteria grow faster and turn the milk sour by producing more acid.

Question 15

What happens when you boil water?

Accepted Answer

When water boils, it's turning from liquid into gas. Bubbles form because the water molecules move faster until they break free into steam.

Question 16

Why do green apples taste sour?

Accepted Answer

Green apples taste sour because they have more acid than sweet apples. The acid gives them that tart taste.

Question 17

What makes bread chewy?

Accepted Answer

Bread gets chewy because of gluten, a stretchy protein found in flour. When you mix and knead the dough, the gluten forms a network that makes the bread stretchy and chewy.

Question 18

Why does butter melt at room temperature?

Accepted Answer

Butter is mostly made of fat, and the fat melts when it warms up. Once it's at room temperature, the solid fats soften and turn to liquid.

Question 19

How does lemon juice stop apples from turning brown?

Accepted Answer

Lemon juice is acidic and it stops the chemical reaction that makes apples turn brown. It slows down the process and keeps the apples looking fresh longer.

Question 20

Why do fizzy drinks have bubbles?

Accepted Answer

Fizzy drinks have carbon dioxide gas dissolved in them. When you open the drink, the gas escapes, creating bubbles that you see and feel.

The Science of Everyday Ingredients: Cooking and Chemistry - 20 FAQs Explained Simply