Dad
Aiden, I noticed a strange phenomenon/fəˈnɑːmɪnən/现象 while cooking. When I boil noodles, the water always spills over the pot once it reaches a boil. However, when I boil plain water, it stays calm inside. Do you have any idea why?
Aiden，我做饭时发现一个奇怪的现象。煮面时，水一开总是会从锅里滚出来。但单独煮白开水时，它就很平静。你知道为什么吗？
Aiden
That’s a good question, Dad, but I’m actually not sure either. It might have something to do with the composition/ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃn/成分/构成 of the noodles. Why don't you search for it online? I’m curious to know the scientific explanation too!
这是个好问题，爸爸，但我其实也不太清楚。可能和面的成分有关。你为什么不在网上搜一下呢？我也很好奇科学解释是什么！
Dad
Okay, let me check. Ah, I found the answer! It’s because noodles release starch/stɑːrtʃ/淀粉 into the water. This starch creates a thick film on the surface, which traps the steam. These persistent/pərˈsɪstənt/持续的/顽固的 bubbles pile up and cause a boil-over.
好，让我查查。啊，找到答案了！是因为面条把淀粉释放到了水里。这些淀粉在表面形成了一层厚膜，困住了蒸汽。这些持续不散的气泡堆积起来，就导致了溢锅。
Aiden
So, in plain water, the steam bubbles just rupture/ˈrʌptʃər/破裂 easily? But with noodles, the starch acts like a stabilizer/ˈsteɪbəlaɪzər/稳定剂 for the foam. That explains why the bubbles don't pop and just keep rising until they overflow.
所以说，白开水的气泡很容易破裂？但在煮面时，淀粉充当了泡沫的稳定剂。这解释了为什么气泡不破，而是一直上升直到溢出。
Dad
Exactly! The starch increases the viscosity/vɪˈskɑːsəti/黏度 of the water. To prevent this, people often add a little oil or place a wooden spoon across the pot. These methods help disrupt/dɪsˈrʌpt/破坏/瓦解 the surface tension and break the bubbles.
没错！淀粉增加了水的黏度。为了防止这种情况，人们通常会加一点油，或者在锅上横放一把木勺。这些方法有助于破坏表面张力并击碎气泡。
Aiden
That’s such a practical tip! It’s amazing how much science is hidden in our daily lives. Next time we cook pasta or noodles, let’s try the wooden spoon trick and see if it actually works. Thanks for sharing what you found, Dad!
这真是个实用的秘诀！日常生活中隐藏着这么多科学，真是神奇。下次我们煮意面或面条时，试试木勺大法，看看是不是真的管用。谢谢爸爸分享你的发现！