How does the boiling point of a liquid at sea level compare to the boiling point of a liquid on top of a mountain?

Answer 1

A liquid boils when the molecules are going fast enough to create vapor pressure equal to the atmospheric pressure. The higher the temperature, the faster the molecules are moving. Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of the molecules. So when you heat water to make it boil, you are actually providing enough heat energy to be converted into kinetic energy, so the molecules are moving fast enough, to produce enough vapor pressure to push the air out of the way, so the water molecules can get out of the water and into the air. (What a run on sentence)

So when you go up on top of a mountain where the air pressure is less, so it is easier for the water molecules go fast enough to produce enough water vapor pressure to push the air molecules out of the way.

So the Boiling point for a liquid on top of a mountain is lower than for the same liquid at sea level.

I wonder if any teachers besides me tell students that the air molecules above a pan of water are colliding with the water molecules in the pan, so the water molecules can not produce ……

Answer 2

As elevation increases boiling point decreases. The reduction in boiling point is because of reduced air pressure. Theoretically, water will boil a 0 degrees C in a pure vacuum.

Answer 3

The boiling temperature of water at sea level is higher than the boiling temperature at the peak of a mountain.