Tea and Sugar in Boiling Milk

Most recent answer: 03/01/2018

Q:
When we add tea leaves to milk then it starts boiling faster but when we add sugar to it then it settle down? Why? What is the reason behind this?
- Avinash (age 18)
Chas,Jharkhand,India
A:

There are two different effects here:

In order for boiling to happen there must be nucleation points (places where bubbles can form) in the water.  This normally happens at rough points on the surface of the pot, but it can also happen if there is contamination (e.g. dust) in the water.  When you put the tea leaves in the water, you are adding nucleation points, speeding the boiling.  NOTE: This is the reason why the bubbles in a class of soda all rise from a single point  (or a few points) on the surface of the glass.

Dissolving sugar in the water raises its boiling temperature, temporarily stopping the boiling.

jjt


(published on 03/01/2018)