Why does milk burst while boiling?
Milk bursts while boiling due to a scientific phenomenon called superheating. When milk is heated, it undergoes a process called denaturation, where the proteins in the milk unfold and lose their shape. This denaturation is reversible when the milk is cooled, but if the milk is heated to a temperature higher than its boiling point without it coming to a boil, it becomes superheated. In superheated milk, the heat is evenly distributed, and there are no visible bubbles forming on the surface. When a small object, such as a spoon or the bottom of the pot, is placed into the superheated milk, it creates tiny nuclei for the bubbles to form around. The rapid release of steam bubbles from these nuclei causes the milk to boil violently, resulting in the milk bursting out of the pot. Therefore, it is essential to stir milk slowly while heating it to prevent superheating and subsequent boiling over.
