Does the rate of respiration change (i.e. the rate of expansion) when one puts more oil in a dough?
Would respiration occur faster?
To determine if the rate of respiration changes when more oil is added to a dough, you would need to understand the factors that affect respiration and the role of oil in dough.
Respiration refers to the process by which living organisms, such as yeast cells in dough, break down carbohydrates to produce energy, carbon dioxide, and ethanol. In the case of dough, respiration occurs when yeast cells consume sugars and release carbon dioxide gas, leading to the expansion or rising of the dough.
When it comes to the effect of oil on respiration, it is important to consider that oil acts as a barrier between the yeast cells and the surrounding environment. When oil is added to dough, it creates a physical barrier that limits the exchange of gases, including oxygen and carbon dioxide, between the yeast cells and the dough. This barrier can potentially slow down the rate of respiration.
However, the exact effect of oil on the rate of respiration can also depend on other factors, such as the concentration of yeast, temperature, and fermentation time. In some cases, the presence of oil can inhibit yeast activity and result in slower respiration. But in other cases, the impact may be minimal.
To answer your question about whether respiration would occur faster when more oil is added to dough, it is unlikely. Adding more oil would generally create a stronger barrier, restricting the exchange of gases even further. As a result, it is more probable that the rate of respiration would decrease rather than increase.
To confirm this effect, one could conduct an experiment by preparing two batches of dough, one with a specific amount of oil and another without any oil. Measure the rise of the dough over a fixed period of time, and compare the results. This experiment would provide empirical evidence regarding the impact of oil on the rate of respiration in dough.