Why is cooking time longer at high altitudes?

Answer 1

Well, honey, at high altitudes, the air pressure is lower, which means water boils at a lower temperature. So, food takes longer to cook because it's not getting as hot as it would at sea level. Basically, you're playing by different rules up there in the mountains, so you gotta adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Answer 2

Cooking time is longer at high altitudes because the lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitudes leads to lower boiling points for water. This means that food takes longer to cook as it requires more time to reach the desired temperature for doneness.

Answer 3

It doesn'tActually, at higher elevations, water boils sooner rather than later.

At higher altitudes, air pressure is lower. The reduced air pressure lowers the temperature at which water boils in an open container. So, water actually boils faster at higher altitudes, but it takes longer to cook foods because the water boils at a lower temperature. This lower temperature slows down the physical and chemical changes that take place when foods are cooked in water.

(Sometimes it can take water longer to boil at higher altitudes simply because it is often colder and windier at high altitudes (if you camping), and so it will take longer to heat the water).

If you are taking a chemistry class right now, you might recall your teacher talking about Gay-Lussac's law of P1/T1 = P2/T2. Therefore, given that the volume is constant, as the pressure changes from 1 ATM to a lower number, say .5, temperature must also change in proportion to the atmosphere to fit the equation. The temperature would decrease by 1/2.

See the Related Questions link to the left for more information about how barometric pressure and elevation effect the boiling point of water.

Following the idea of higher altitudes/lower atmospheric pressure, there will be less initial dissolved oxygen in the higher altitude water compared to a pot of water in lower altitudes. This will decrease the quantity of bubbles (oxygen escaping from the water) you see as the water heats but before the water actually begins to boil. If you confuse these bubbles with boiling it will seem as though you are not reaching a boil as quickly as when there is more dissolved oxygen and more bubbles.

The following correction is from a science major with chemistry minor: the above is almost true, but Gay-Lussac's law is expressed a different way. It is P1/T2=P2/T1. What the above formula describes is Boyle's law (P1/T1=P2/T2).

Answer 4

Water boils at a lower temperature (less than 100 0C) because the air pressure is lower at high altitudes. To compensate for the lower boiling point of water, the cooking time must be increased. Turning up the heat will not help cook food faster, it would just cause the food to dry out quicker. No matter how high the cooking temperature, water cannot exceed its own boiling point - unless if using a pressure cooker.

Answer 5

Because water boils at a lower temperature at altitude, things cooked by boiling will take longer.

The principle is evident in the opposite case when using a pressure cooker: because the pressure inside the cooker is higher, things that cook by boiling will cook much faster.

because the boiling point of the food is reduced and so it took more time to cook the food.

Because as you go higher, air pressure reduces and the boiling point of water goes down. Because of the lower boiling point, you need to boil food for longer.

Answer 6

It takes more time to cook food in high altitudes because of the atmospheric pressure. The atmospheric pressure is lower, this results in a change in cooking temperatures, and lower boiling points, which makes food take longer to cook.

Answer 7

Recipes have to be adjusted because water boils at a lower temperature when the air pressure is lower at high altitudes. As an example, eggs have to cook longer. Anything made with eggs will need more water in the recipe because it has to cook longer.

Answer 8

Because cooking temperaures (such as temperatures of boiling water) are effected by atmosphere pressure. Generally speaking, atmospheric pressures are determineed by altitude. That is, the higher a stove is, the less heat needed to boil water or other liquid. Further, pressure highs and lows also depend upon the weather (or maybe visa versa) and hence a boiled egg can vary in amount of being cooked from one day to another. Although this variation is not too noticeable at sea level, at higher altitudes, the potential change is very noticeable.

Answer 9

reduced air pressure

Answer 10

No, the boiling point is lower.