Eli5: Why does pancake batter solidify when you heat it?

Question

When you heat a liquid, you generally expect it to boil but rather than solidify. What is the science behind this process? Examples are cakes pancakes and eggs

In: Other

Answer 1

It’s about the protein in the eggs. Proteins are very large molecules, formed like massive chains. These chains are crumpled up in a specific way, bunched into a big ole blob. The shape of this blob determines how the protein works. When you expose protein to heat, the crumpling changes, and the protein’s properties change altogether. This process is called “denaturing”. Denatured eggs proteins become solid