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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).

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8y ago
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12y ago

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.

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11y ago

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.

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9y ago

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.

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15y ago

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.

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9y ago

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.

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13y ago

reduced air pressure

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6y ago

No, the boiling point is lower.

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Q: Why is cooking time longer at high altitudes?
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How do you cook at high elevations?

Water and other fluids boil at a lower temperature at high altitudes. When a liquid boils its temperature stops rising. If a recipe that calls for cooking something for a certain amount of time after it begins to boil, there is an implied assumption the cooking process is taking place at sea level. Therefore, you need to adjust your cooking time for a longer period of time at higher altitudes since the cooking temperature is lower than what it would be at sea level. That is why it takes longer to boil an egg in, say, Denver, Colorado than it does in Miami, Florida. See Sources and related links for various links to cooking at high altitudes.


Would you expect to have a longer or shorter cooking time at a high elevation?

Longer. The higher elevation causes the boiling point to decrease. Cook longer at higher elevations.


Why do hard boiled eggs take longer to cook in different parts of the world?

Because altitude (how far above sea level you are) partly determines cooking time. Different parts of the world have a wide range of altitudes. At sea level, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. At higher altitudes (lower pressures) it boils at a lower temperature.


What factors affect the time required for cooking legumes?

Older legumes take longer to cook, and may not get tender at all if they are too old. Larger legumes take longer to cook than smaller ones. The longer legumes soak before they are cooked, the shorter the cooking time. Also, cooking legumes in a pressure cooker reduces cooking time.


Why is a pressure cooker used to cook at higher altitudes?

The boiling point of a liquid goes down as the atmospheric pressure decreases. At sea level water boils at 100 degrees C. As you go up higher the air pressure decreases (because there's less air above you). In 'mile high' Denver, Colorado, water boils at about 95 degrees C. Cooking, like all chemical reactions happens more slowly as the temperature decreases. Thus anything you cook by boiling will take longer at high altitudes. In a pressure cooker the pressure is higher than it is outside, so the water boils at a higher temperature and cooking times are reduced. In fact you don't have to live at high altitudes to benefit from using a pressure cooker. Even at sea level they are useful, especially for reducing the time for slow dishes such as stews, which is convenient and saves fuel.


In higher altitudes should you cook pasta a shorter or longer time?

In the theory of Roberto Leon - in the amounts of higher altitudes, you should cook with 3,000 pounds of water because I am in love with cole bonds.


What is the difference between slow cooking and presure cooking?

in slow cooking the meat has a longer cooking time in pressure cooking the meat or whatever gets more tender and tastes better.


Why do foods require longer microwave cooking time at higher atitudes?

The boiling point of water goes down at higher altitudes, and so foods take longer to cook (because the temperature of the food doesn't usually exceed the boiling point of water).See the Related Questions about how elevation effects the boiling point of water.


Can you substitute cabbage for kale?

Yes, but cabbage needs a longer cooking time.


What is the right way to cook chicken?

Cooking chicken is done by using a slightly lower temperature, and allowing a longer time to the chicken to be cooked fully through. Cooking at a high temp. will char the outside of the meat, and leave the inside uncooked.


Why cooking is difficult in high altitudes?

At higher altitudes, the atmospheric pressure becomes less because of less amount of air is present over that region and hence less weight and so less pressure. Boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which the saturated vapour pressure of the liquid becomes equal to the outside atmospheric pressure. As the pressure at higher altitudes is less, the liquid starts boiling at lower temperature. Hence water would boil at a temperature less than 100 deg C. As temperature becomes less then the heat content would become less for every unit mass of water. So transferring heat to the food materials would take a longer time and hence cooking becomes difficult.


If cooking more than one chicken at a time take longer than just cooking one?

Yes, It does take longer to cook more than one chicken because you have more things to heat up in the oven there for it takes longer.