when lemon juice is added at the beginning of cooking lentils why does it slow the cooking?

Question

why does lemon juice slow the cooking of lentils when added at the beginning? does altering the pH effect the way lentils cook on a molecular level?

Answer 1

Boiling points are largely determined by intermolecular (hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic/hydrophilic) interactions. These three functional groups all contain an electron donor (oxygen or nitrogen) with a different willingness to share its electrons and thus a different capacity to hold on to other molecules. The tighter these interactions are, the higher the boiling point will be. The citric acid in Lemon Juice, a weak carboxylic acid, decomposes below boiling point at 175°C while water boils at 100°C.

**NOTE: If you're using a small amount of lemon juice, then it probably is not really effecting the boiling point**

Answer 2

It doesnt!!