Question

A hiker tries to prepare a hard-boiled egg on the high slopes of Mount Everest. The base camp is located 5,300 meters above sea level. The hiker observes

that the water begins to boil at 82°C, much lower than the 100°C needed to cook the raw egg. He hopes that just leaving the egg in the boiling water longer will
let the egg cook. Will he have hard-boiled eggs for breakfast?
O A. Yes, eventually the boiling water will reach 100°C and the egg will cook
O B. Yes, but only if he adds more water to help the boiling point reach 100°C.
O C. No, the water temperature will remain at 82°C until all the water evaporates
O D. No, the egg will not cook because the water temperature decreases as it boils.

Answer 1

D. No, the egg will not cook because the water temperature decreases as it boils.

The boiling point of water decreases as altitude increases, because the atmospheric pressure decreases. At an altitude of 5,300 meters, the boiling point of water is around 82°C. This means that the water will never reach the temperature of 100°C needed to cook a hard-boiled egg.

Even if the hiker leaves the egg in the boiling water for a longer time, the water temperature will not increase beyond 82°C, and the egg will not cook properly. Therefore, the hiker will not have hard-boiled eggs for breakfast.