Comparison:How are cereal grains different from roots and tubers in terms of cooking time and texture? Cause and Effect:Why do some starches, like cassava or potatoes, become sticky when cooked, while others, like rice, remain fluffy? Classification:If you were given taro, cornmeal, and mung beans, where would you place them on this chart, and why?
Answer (1)
Comparison:Cereal grains (like rice or corn) usually cook faster than roots and tubers because they have less dense structure.Cereal grains become fluffy when cooked because their starches separate.Roots and tubers (like potatoes and cassava) take longer to cook because they are denser and have more moisture inside. They become soft and sometimes sticky when cooked.Cause and Effect:Some starches like cassava and potatoes have starch molecules that swell and release sticky substances (called amylopectin), making them sticky or gluey when cooked.Starches like rice have more amylose, which keeps grains separate and fluffy after cooking.Classification (Food Item Classification Reason)Taro Root/Tuber It grows underground as a starchy tuber.Cornmeal Cereal Grain Made by grinding dried corn kernels.Mung Beans Legume/Pulse A type of seed from plants, rich in protein.
