2016-08-10

Chemistry of Baking Soda and Yeast

The short video from  American Chemical Society was so interesting. It shows the chemistry of bread baking.

Yeasts are actually living microorganisms. Once in contact with warm water, the yeast added feeds on the sugars in flour and produces carbon dioxide. The release of carbon dioxide makes bread rise.

Baking soda works more quickly than yeast.  Baking soda consists of sodium bicarbonate, calcium acid phosphate & corn starch. Bread dough rises faster as chemical reaction occurs and produces carbon dioxide.



2016-08-08

Palm Oil Products




Painting using Latex

Latex is a white milky liquid secreted by rubber tree. It coagulates when acid is added or exposed to bacteria. 

I came across these beautiful art pieces using latex during my visit to an exhibition both by Lembaga Getah Malaysia  in IMU. Visitors are encouraged to use different colours of latex to paint on a layer of liquid latex in the petri dish. Once the latex get dry, the layers of latex can be peeled off easily.