Cooking is more than just following a recipe; it’s about knowing how different states of matter—solids, liquids, and gases—affect what we make in the kitchen. Let’s break it down simply:

Solids

• Baking: When you bake things like bread or cookies, the solid ingredients (like flour and sugar) change when heated. The heat makes the sugars turn into a sweet flavor and changes the proteins, helping to create the yummy texture we love.
• Chopping and Grating: Solid foods, like vegetables and cheese, need different cutting methods depending on what dish you are making.

Liquids

• Boiling and Steaming: Cooking pasta or veggies in boiling water is all about liquids. The boiling water, which is really hot (about 100°C or 212°F), cooks the food evenly.
• Sauces and Soups: Liquids mix flavors together and make meals tastier. This is where liquids change the way things taste and feel in our mouths.

Gases

• Frying: When you fry food, the oil (which is a liquid) can turn into steam, making the food crispy and giving it a special flavor. The bubbles you see are actually the moisture from the food changing into gas!
• Baking Bread: The gas that comes from yeast fermentation helps the bread dough rise, making it soft and fluffy.

By understanding these states of matter, we can use the right cooking methods to get the best results in our meals!