Why does water taste different after sitting for a few days?
Bacteria and other microbes are everywhere all the time, and they need water to grow. So what you're tasting is a melange of those microbes and the waste they produce as they grow. They've been floating through the air or transferred by some other means (e.g., your mouth and hands), or may have b…
The Short Answer
Bacteria and other microbes are everywhere all the time, and they need water to grow. So what you're tasting is a melange of those microbes and the waste they produce as they grow. They've been floating through the air or transferred by some other means (e.g., your mouth and hands), or may have been in the water from the beginning. At any rate, water helps them live and multiply. A nice glass of fresh water left exposed to ample oxygen at room temperature makes for a nice little incubator for all manner of microscopic critters.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Water, microbes, grow
This explanation focuses on water, microbes, grow and spans 96 words across 5 sentences. At 48% above the average Everyday Life explanation (65 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Bacteria and other microbes are everywhere all the time, and they need water to grow.” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.
How This Compares in Everyday Life
Ranked #112 of 500 Everyday Life questions by answer depth (top 23%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why water taste different after sitting for a few days?
Bacteria and other microbes are everywhere all the time, and they need water to grow. So what you're tasting is a melange of those microbes and the waste they produce as they grow. They've been floating through the air or transferred by some other…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Everyday Life questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 96 words, ranked #112 of 500 Everyday Life questions by depth. The key concepts covered are water, microbes, grow.
What approach does this answer take to explain water taste different after sitting for a few days?
The explanation uses direct explanation across 96 words. It is categorized under Everyday Life and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.