Although it does happen with all boiling, the effect is greater when the liquid contains molecules that stabilise bubbles so they last longer. In boiling water, the vapour bubbles burst as soon as they reach the surface. The proteins and fats in milk, the starch coming off rice and pasta, soap, and many others preserve the bubbles long enough so that they form a foam that doesn’t collapse before it reaches the top of the saucepan.
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