What Is the Boiling Point of Water?

What Is the Boiling Point of Water? đź’§What Your Kettle Can Teach You About Physics

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What Is the Boiling Point of Water?

âś… Answer:

The boiling point of water is 100°C (212°F) at sea level. This is the temperature where water changes from a liquid to a gas. However, the boiling point can change depending on air pressure and altitude.

🧭 Dive Deeper:

What Does “Boiling Point” Mean?

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas. When a liquid reaches its boiling point:

  • Bubbles form throughout the liquid.
  • Gas (vapor) rises and escapes into the air.
  • The liquid is said to be boiling.

So, what is the boiling point of water? It’s the temperature where this bubbling change happens.

Why Is the Boiling Point of Water 100°C?

At sea level, water boils at exactly:

  • 100 degrees Celsius (°C)
  • 212 degrees Fahrenheit (°F)

This temperature was chosen as the standard boiling point because it’s where the vapor pressure of water equals the atmospheric pressure around it.

🌡️ Quick Fact:
The Celsius scale was designed with 0°C as the freezing point of water and 100°C as the boiling point, making it easy to measure [1].

How Does Air Pressure Affect Boiling?

Water doesn’t always boil at 100°C. That number only holds true when the air pressure is normal—like at sea level. If the air pressure changes, the boiling point changes too!

ConditionBoiling Point of Water
Sea Level100°C / 212°F
On a MountainLower than 100°C
In a Pressure CookerHigher than 100°C

đź’¨ Interesting Stat:
At Mount Everest’s summit, water boils at just 69°C (156°F) because of the low air pressure [2]!

Does Altitude Change the Boiling Point?

Yes! The higher you go, the lower the boiling point. That’s because the air gets thinner at higher altitudes, which means there’s less pressure pushing down on the water.

For example:

  • At sea level, water boils at 100°C.
  • At 5,000 feet, water boils around 95°C.
  • At 10,000 feet, water boils around 90°C.

That’s why cooking pasta in Denver (which is over 5,000 feet high) takes longer—the water boils sooner, but it’s not as hot.

Real-Life Examples of Water Boiling

You probably see water boiling at home when:

  • Making tea or hot chocolate
  • Cooking spaghetti or soup
  • Watching a kettle whistle

In each case, the water heats up until bubbles start forming and steam rises.

But have you ever noticed that water boils faster on a high mountain but doesn’t get as hot? That’s air pressure at work!

Why This Matters in Science and Cooking

Understanding the boiling point of water is important in many ways:

  • Science labs use boiling points to identify substances.
  • Chefs and bakers need to know how temperature affects food.
  • Engineers use boiling points when designing engines or power plants.

🧪 Science Connection:
The boiling point is a physical property used to describe and identify substances in chemistry [3].

🎯 Final Thoughts

So, what is the boiling point of water? It’s 100°C (212°F) at sea level, but it can change based on air pressure and altitude. Knowing this helps us understand chemistry, cooking, and even weather patterns.

Next time you see water boiling, remember—it’s not just bubbles and steam. It’s science in action!

đź“š References

  1. BBC Bitesize. “Changes of State.”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zvh44xs#z3p996f
  2. NASA Earth Observatory. “The Boiling Point of Water.”
    https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/BoilingPoint
  3. ChemTalk. “The Melting and Boiling Point of Water.” https://chemistrytalk.org/melting-boiling-point-water/

đź“ŚLearn More About Compound Water (H2O)

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