Water boils at 100 ∘ C at atmospheric pressure, that is, at sea level ( T ∘ = 15 ∘ C ). The boiling point is defined as the temperature at which the vapor pressure of water is equal to the atmospheric pressure. This has consequences for cooking in places such as Atok where it takes quite a bit longer to make a hard-boiled egg than it would in Baguio City. If the albumen in an egg needs to reach 75 ∘ C for the protein to coagulate, at what height would it be impossible to hard boil an egg?

Question

Water boils at       100    ∘    C at atmospheric pressure, that is, at sea level   (      T    ∘    =      15    ∘    C  ). The boiling point is defined as the temperature at which the vapor pressure of water is equal to the atmospheric pressure. This has consequences for cooking in places such as Atok where it takes quite a bit longer to make a hard-boiled egg than it would in Baguio City. If the albumen in an egg needs to reach       75    ∘    C for the protein to coagulate, at what height would it be impossible to hard boil an egg?

Mathias Patrick · Accepted Answer

Boiling point is defined as the temperature at which liquid starts boiling at which the vapour pressure of water is equal to the atmospheric pressure. The boiling point of water is 100°C.The outer egg white cooks at 75°C and the egg yolk usually cooks at 60°C to 65°C. When the process of heating of egg is occurring the albumin gets denatured and solidifies. The maximum temperature that an egg will reach is equal to the boiling point of water.It takes a long time for an egg to boil on mountains than at sea level. The reason behind this is that when atmospheric pressure decreases the boiling point of water also decreases. For cooking in higher altitudes in low temperature, coagulation temperature should be high. Coagulation is defined as the change of protein from liquid to solid form .Coagulation temperature for egg white us around 57°C.At higher altitudes like from above 8000m above sea level, it is really difficult to hard boil eggs because of low atmospheric pressure and low temperature. As the altitude level increases, the boiling point also increases which is not enough to cook a hard boil egg.

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