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2 votes
spaghetti takes about 9 minutes to cook at sea level, but about 14 minutes in the mountains. why do you think this happens???

User NielW
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2 Answers

1 vote
Water boils when the vapor pressure of the water equals the atmospheric pressure that's pressing down on it. Water boils at a lower temperature (more easily) at higher elevations (like on mountains), because:

- Atmospheric pressure is lower at higher elevation

- Easier for vapor pressure to equal this lower atmospheric pressure

Since the water boils at a lower temperature, it takes longer for the pasta to cook.
User Frattaro
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7.5k points
7 votes
This happens because of difference of pressures at sea level and in the mountains. In the mountains pressure has a lower value, so the water used to cook has a lower boiling point and it needs more time to "soften spaghetti up".
User Dynamicuser
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7.4k points