Question

When cooking spaghetti in the rocky mountains (high altitude), the directions tell you to cook if 3-4 minutes longer than you would of you were cooking it here in Indiana. Using information you have learned in this unit, explain why it takes longer to cook spaghetti at high altitude.

Answer 1

There is a higher air pressure in the rocky mountains. Pressure affects the boiling point of objects. As pressure increases, the boiling temperature also increases.

Answer 2

The boiling point of water is lower in higher altitudes, which means the water is boiling at a lower temperature. So the pasta takes longer to cook in higher altitudes.