Quarky Explores Madrid
Can water boil without being as hot?
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The story
Quarky tries to make hot chocolate high up in Madrid and the water bubbles sooner than he expects. Up high there is less air pressing down on the pot, so the water needs less heat to escape into steam. Boiling, he learns, is a contest between heat pushing out and air pushing down.
What you'll learn
- Air pressure pushes down on water and helps hold it in liquid form.
- Higher up there is less air pressure, so water boils at a lower temperature.
- Boiling sooner does not mean hotter, which is why food can take longer to cook up high.
- Quarky takeaway: the same rule can give different answers in different places.
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