experiment on water boiling in different size pots

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Is more water lost when it boils in a larger pot?

Suppose you have two otherwise-identical pots of different radii on two identical burners, both large enough to heat the entire bottoms of both pots. If you want exactly 1L of boiling water (say, 373.15K) in each pot, to which pot should you add more water?

Essentially, my question is about which effect is greater: the increased evaporation for a larger surface area vs. the increased rate of heat transfer over that surface area in the bigger pot (decreasing the time required to boil the water, at which point measurement ends). Would a pot large enough to heat each molecule of water at the same time be less water-efficient than a pot 1 molecule wide, which can only allow 1 molecule of water to evaporate at a time?

• thermodynamics

• $\begingroup$ Hint: Which one provides greater contact surface area between the heating element (or flame) and the pot? $\endgroup$ –  The Photon Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 14:34
• $\begingroup$ It probably makes more sense (and is a bit simpler) to demand that the two pots have identical mass rather than volume, but this is an interesting question $\endgroup$ –  AGML Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 14:54
• $\begingroup$ Mass would be simpler, but I was also curious specifically about the volume aspect. I'd accept a mass-only answer as well. $\endgroup$ –  Tranquilled Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 15:00

2 Answers 2

I came up with the following rough qualitative argument. Throughout I assume that both pots are surrounded by identical air, and in particular, identically humid air. This last assumption could be problematic, but without it the answer will depend strongly on the details of the room etc.

The evaporation rate (kg / time) will depend linearly on the number of molecules exposed to the air (moles), which will itself be linear in the surface area exposed to the air (m^2): $M/t \propto A_\mathrm{top}$, $M$ being the total mass of the water, $A_\mathrm{top}$ being the area of the top of the pot.

To bring the pot to boiling we need to deliver a certain amount of energy (Joules) to the pot from the burner. The total energy needed is linear in the total mass (kg) of the water. With temperature held constant the mass is linear in the volume (m^3): $Q \propto M \propto V$.

The heat transfer rate (Joules/s) obeys $Q/t \sim A_\mathrm{bot} \Delta T$, where $A_\mathrm{bot}$ is the surface area of the bottom of the pot and $\Delta T$ the temperature difference between the burner and the water. I assume the pot is slowly stirred so that convective transfer through the water is essentially instantaneous. Dropping this assumption complicates things considerably, but I'll try and relax it later.

It will take about $t_\mathrm{boil} \sim Q/ A_\mathrm{bot} \Delta T$ seconds to bring the pot to boiling. The mass of water lost during this time will then follow $M \propto A_\mathrm{top} t_\mathrm{boil} \sim A_\mathrm{top} Q / A_\mathrm{bot} \Delta T$. For a cylindrical pot with $A_\mathrm{top} = A_\mathrm{bot}$ the area should thus drop out, and both pots should require equal amounts of water to have equal volume at the boiling point (at the boiling point, as at any constant temperature, the volume of water in the pot should depend on the mass in the same way for both pots).

Roughly speaking, the rate of convective heat transfer between two fluid elements with an interface area $A$ is also linear in $A$, so this argument should hold to low order even if convection starts to be important. I'm not sure what will happen once say convective currents and asymmetries start to be the dominant effect, so this won't be true of any two pots probably. For example the ocean would probably evaporate differently than a column of water the size of your pinky finger with the volume of the ocean.

I failed to take into account heat loss from the tops of the pots. Given that both pots are surrounded at all times by "the same air", this changes the heat transfer rate to $Q/t = A_\mathrm{bot} \Delta T_1 - A_\mathrm{top} \Delta T_2$, where $\Delta T_1$ ($\Delta T_2$) is between the burner and the water (between the air and the water), and so the area will still drop out of the quotient. It seems to me it still will, even if the possibly time-dependent humidity and temperature of the air are taken into account.

• $\begingroup$ I think the convection aspect is an important difference between the pots, especially for unidirectional heat (consider the extreme cases I mentioned). Also, would the turbulence that makes stirring an effective way to increase the speed of energy transfer also increase evaporation by disturbing the surface and increasing its area? $\endgroup$ –  Tranquilled Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 16:38
• $\begingroup$ You could conceivably stir the pot slowly enough, or from the bottom, that the surface remains effectively unbroken. I agree that the convection probably matters here in practice but I don't think there's a simple answer to this question once it is taken into account. I also failed to take into account the heat loss from the top of the pots; I'm adding an addendum to account for that. $\endgroup$ –  AGML Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 17:31

Very qualitative. Assuming liquid/vapour equilibrium is not reached, that is air is sufficiently dry, in a given time more water molecules will escape from the larger pot. This effect should take place independently from heating the container or not. Bottom counts only if the pot are not cylinder but bottle shaped. I would conclude that you need less energy to finally attain 1 l boiling water if the recipient is small. I assume no heat loss as well as burner are identical in term of heat transfer (electrical plate at same T and fitting the bottom ).

• $\begingroup$ The boiling aspect provides the time limit, so it's not irrelevant: the bigger pot takes less time to boil the same amount of water, so there is less time for evaporation to occur. I am not taking energy into account for efficiency, only water. $\endgroup$ –  Tranquilled Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 16:22
• $\begingroup$ @Tranquilled. So let me say you want to minimise the initial amount of water, arrive at 1 l boiling water doesn't matter how much energy you need? I ll try to think about it, is interesting :) $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 18:03
• $\begingroup$ I'm thinking of fixing the system (under the assumptions of the two answers plus additional ones such as constant specific heat). One fix is that the energy of the final state is the same. Problem is the continuously changing amount of water. Cannot find a simple system of equations. In case you are still thinking about I MENTION here a term missing in the previous discussions: At the top heat is removed by the evaporation of the x grams of water. Latent heat of water is quite high. May be hint is useful. I am tempted to say that, for a given pair of pot, one bigger and one smaller, faster $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 21:52
• $\begingroup$ you heat closer you get (or eventually bigger is the water saving) to your goal of loosing less water in the big pot. $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 21:54

Your Answer

Sign up or log in, post as a guest.

Required, but never shown

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy .

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged thermodynamics or ask your own question .

• Featured on Meta
• Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

• HTTP: how likely are you to be compromised by using it just once?
• Would a PhD from Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand be accepted in the US?
• My 5-year-old is stealing food and lying
• RAW, do transparent obstacles generally grant Total Cover?
• Can a contract require you to accept new T&C?
• A puzzle from YOU to ME ;)
• Is the new series for 𝜋 a Big (or even Medium) Deal?
• Rewarding the finding of zeroes of a hash function
• What rights does an employee retain, if any, who does not consent to being monitored on a work IT system?
• Creating a command to display blackboard font
• What happened to Slic3r?
• Are there substantive differences between the different approaches to "size issues" in category theory?
• How fast would unrest spread in the Middle Ages?
• Medical - Must use corrective lens(es)…
• Binary Slashes Display
• LuaLaTeX : Error loading module 'ssl.https'
• How to turn a desert into a fertile farmland with engineering?
• A Colorful explosion
• What does "the dogs of prescriptivism" mean?
• How does a vehicle's brake affect the friction between the vehicle and ground?
• Tiny book about a planet full of man-eating sunflowers
• Short story about soldiers who are fighting against an enemy which turns out to be themselves
• Interrupt routine has unexpected execution
• Forcing QGIS to export using left hand rule

• < Previous

Home > STUDENTSYMPOSIA > STUDENT_POSTERS > RESEARCH_POSTERS2020 > 54

Student Research Poster Presentations 2020

Do Liquids Boil at Different Rates?

Cade Corcoran Follow

Faculty Advisor(s)

Michael Floren

Download Full Text (239 KB)

I did this experiment as my final project for my Design of Experiments class at Misericordia University. I took three liquids, water, milk, and orange juice then measured the time it took for them to boil in three different size pots. I was testing to see if there was a significant interaction between the Liquid and Pot size factors. After conducting the experiment, the results show that there was a statistically significant interaction effect between the factors.

Publication Date

Document type.

Computer Science and Mathematics

Liquid Boiling Times

• Disciplines

Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Recommended Citation

Corcoran, Cade, "Do Liquids Boil at Different Rates?" (2020). Student Research Poster Presentations 2020 . 54. https://digitalcommons.misericordia.edu/research_posters2020/54

Since May 01, 2020

Included in

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

• Collections

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS

Author Corner

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy

The Boiling Point: Uncovering The Truth About Water Boiling Speed in Different Pots

As an essential component of daily cooking practices, the speed at which water boils in different types of pots can significantly impact efficiency in the kitchen. Understanding the factors influencing water boiling speed, such as material, shape, and size of the pot, is vital for achieving optimal cooking results. In this article, we delve into the fascinating world of water boiling dynamics to uncover the truths behind varying boiling speeds in pots of different compositions.

By exploring the science behind boiling water, we aim to provide valuable insights that can help home cooks and professional chefs alike make informed decisions when selecting kitchen pots. Discovering the optimal pot for quicker water boiling times can enhance cooking processes, save time, and ultimately lead to more flavorful culinary creations.

Table of Contents

Factors Affecting Water Boiling Speed

Another important factor affecting water boiling speed is the size and shape of the pot. Pots with wider bases allow for more direct contact with the heat source, promoting faster boiling. Additionally, pots with tight-fitting lids help retain heat and steam, allowing water to reach its boiling point more rapidly. Factors such as altitude, starting water temperature, and the efficiency of the heating source can also impact the boiling speed in different pots, highlighting the complexity of the boiling process.

Impact Of Material On Boiling Time

The role of pot size and shape.

Pot size and shape play a crucial role in determining the speed at which water boils. A pot with a larger surface area allows for more contact between the water and the heat source, resulting in faster boiling times compared to a pot with a smaller surface area. Additionally, a pot with a wider opening can help in the quick release of steam, which aids in maintaining a consistent boiling temperature.

Heat Source And Its Influence On Boiling

Comparing boiling speeds: stainless steel vs. copper.

When comparing the boiling speeds of stainless steel and copper pots, it’s essential to consider their conductivity properties. Copper is known for its excellent heat conductivity, allowing it to heat up quickly and distribute heat evenly across the pot’s surface. This means that water will reach its boiling point faster in a copper pot compared to a stainless steel pot.

Understanding Convection And Heat Transfer

Convection plays a crucial role in the process of heat transfer when boiling water in pots. As the water near the bottom of the pot heats up, it becomes less dense and rises, creating a convection current. Simultaneously, cooler water from the surface moves downwards to replace it, establishing a continuous cycle that aids in distributing heat throughout the water evenly. This convection movement helps in speeding up the boiling process and ensures uniform heating within the pot.

Effective heat transfer in pots is achieved through conduction, where heat is directly transferred from the heat source to the bottom of the pot, and convection, where heat is distributed throughout the water by movement. Understanding how convection works can help in selecting pots with designs that promote better convection currents, such as those with wider and shallower dimensions that facilitate efficient heat distribution. By grasping the principles of convection and heat transfer, individuals can make informed choices when selecting pots for boiling water, ultimately affecting the speed and efficiency of the boiling process.

Tips For Faster Boiling

To expedite the boiling process, consider using a pot with a wider base as this allows for more direct contact between the heat source and the water. Additionally, using a lid while heating the water can help to trap the heat, leading to a quicker rise in temperature. Choosing a pot made of a material that conducts heat efficiently, such as copper or aluminum, can also significantly reduce boiling time.

Another tip to speed up boiling is to start with hot tap water instead of cold water. This can help reduce the time it takes for the water to reach its boiling point. Furthermore, ensuring that the water level in the pot is appropriate for the amount needed can prevent unnecessary time spent waiting for excess water to boil. Remember to monitor the boiling process closely to prevent overflow and achieve the desired boiling time.

Conclusion: Choosing The Right Pot For Efficient Boiling

In conclusion, when it comes to choosing the right pot for efficient boiling, several key factors should be considered. Firstly, opt for pots that are made from materials with good thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum, as they heat up more quickly and evenly, leading to faster boiling times. Secondly, selecting a pot with a well-fitted lid can help retain heat and steam, expediting the boiling process.

Additionally, the size of the pot should match the quantity of water being boiled to minimize energy waste. Investing in high-quality pots with thick, heavy bottoms can also contribute to faster boiling and ensure long-term durability. By taking these factors into account, you can enhance the efficiency of your boiling process and make cooking tasks quicker and more convenient.

What Factors Influence The Speed At Which Water Boils In Different Pots?

Does the material of the pot affect the boiling speed of water, how does the size and shape of a pot impact the time it takes for water to boil.

The size and shape of a pot can impact the time it takes for water to boil. A larger pot will take longer to heat up due to its increased surface area and volume, requiring more energy to reach the boiling point. Conversely, a smaller pot will heat up faster as it has less surface area and volume to heat.

Additionally, the shape of the pot can affect the rate of heat transfer. Pots with wider bases allow for more direct contact with the heat source, aiding in quicker boiling compared to pots with narrow bases. Ultimately, choosing an appropriately sized and shaped pot can optimize the efficiency of boiling water.

Are There Specific Tips Or Tricks To Help Water Boil Faster In A Pot?

What are the potential implications of the boiling speed of water when cooking or brewing beverages, final thoughts.

As we move forward in our culinary pursuits, it is crucial to consider the nuances of cookware selection beyond mere aesthetics. Investing in high-quality pots that are well-suited for boiling tasks can streamline meal preparation, save time, and ultimately elevate the overall cooking experience. Let us harness this newfound knowledge to make informed decisions and transform our kitchen endeavors with precision and efficacy.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

• Free Resources
• Project Search
• Featured Projects
• Member Benefits

1059 Main Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011

The most valuable resources for teachers and students

(973) 777 - 3113

[email protected]

1059 Main Avenue

Clifton, NJ 07011

07:30 - 19:00

Monday to Friday

123 456 789

[email protected]

Goldsmith Hall

New York, NY 90210

• Why We’re Unique

Salt and the boiling temperature of water

Introduction: (initial observation).

At home hot water is used for cooking and heating systems such as hot water radiators. In laboratories hot water is used in water baths. Hot water has many industrial applications as well.

One problem with water is that it never gets hotter than 100º Celsius. Any additional heat will only cause more evaporation. Being able to control or modify the boiling point of water may be helpful for any applications requiring heat transfer.

In this project you will study the effect of table salt on the boiling temperature of water. Report your results in a table and draw a graph to visually display your results.

If you have any questions, click on the “Ask Question” button at the top of this page to send me your questions. I may respond by email, but often I update this page with the information that you need.

You will also need to know:

• How to select a project?
• What are variables (Dependent, Independent, Control)?
• What is a control experiment?
• How can I do analysis and discussion?
• Do I need a graphs or a chart?
• What is an abstract? How to write it?
• Samples of display boards   
• How to write a report?

Project Advisor

Information Gathering:

Find out about boiling and boiling point point. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about the effect of salt on the boiling point of water. Keep track of where you got your information from.

matter : anything that occupies space and has mass.

mass : the quantity of matter contained by an object. Mass is measured in terms of the force required to change the speed or direction of its movement.

liquid : the state in which matter takes the shape of its container, assumes a horizontal upper surface, and has a fairly definite volume.

boiling point : the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the pressure of the gas above it.

temperature : measure of the hotness or coldness of a body.

pressure : force exerted on a unit area. The SI unit of pressure is the Pascal (Pa).

gas : the state in which matter has neither definite volume nor shape.

boiling -point elevation: the elevation of the boiling point of a liquid by addition of a solute.

Effect of air pressure

A liquid boils when its vapor pressure becomes equal to atmospheric pressure. Low atmospheric pressure causes the boiling point to go down; high pressure drives it up. Atmospheric pressure varies a bit from day to day, depending on the weather, and it varies from place to place, depending on the altitude.

Other related links:

• Boiling Point
• Boiling point elevation
• Boiling temperature of water solutions

Question/ Purpose:

What do you want to find out? Write a statement that describes what you want to do. Use your observations and questions to write the statement.

The purpose of this project is to determine the effect of salt on the boiling point of water.

Identify Variables:

When you think you know what variables may be involved, think about ways to change one at a time. If you change more than one at a time, you will not know what variable is causing your observation. Sometimes variables are linked and work together to cause something. At first, try to choose variables that you think act independently of each other.

• The independent variable (also known as manipulated variable) is the amount of salt.
• Dependent variable (also known as responding variable) is the boiling point of water.
• Controlled variables are the air temperature and pressure. Perform all your experiments in the same day while the air pressure and temperature will not be subject to noticeable changes.

Hypothesis:

Based on your gathered information, make an educated guess about the effect of salt on boiling point of water.

Following are two sample hypothesis:

Sample hypothesis 1:

I hypothesize that salt will reduce the boiling point of water. My hypothesis is based on my information that salt reduce the freezing point of water and it is used as an anti freeze in winter.

Sample hypothesis 2:

I hypothesize that salt will increase the boiling point of water. My hypothesis is based on my information that salt does not boil as easy as water, so when mixed with water it may make it hard for water to boil as well.

Experiment Design:

Design an experiment to test each hypothesis. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do to answer each question. This list is called an experimental procedure. For an experiment to give answers you can trust, it must have a “control.” A control is an additional experimental trial or run. It is a separate experiment, done exactly like the others. The only difference is that no experimental variables are changed. A control is a neutral “reference point” for comparison that allows you to see what changing a variable does by comparing it to not changing anything. Dependable controls are sometimes very hard to develop. They can be the hardest part of a project. Without a control you cannot be sure that changing the variable causes your observations. A series of experiments that includes a control is called a “controlled experiment.”

Introduction : In this experiment you will test the effect of table salt (sodium chloride) on the boiling point of water. You may repeat this experiment with other solutes such as sugar, Epsom salt (Magnesium sulfate) and Salt cake (Sodium sulfate). Experiment involve preparing salt-water solutions with different amounts of salt; heat them to the boiling temperature and then measure and record the temperature while the solution is boiling.

• Fill up a glass beaker or a small pot with 100 ml distilled water.
• Place a thermometer in the water several centimeters from the bottom of the pot. Make sure you are using a thermometer with at least one degree markings to insure accurate measurements.
• Begin to heat the water. Take temperature readings every 10 seconds.
• Continue reading the temperature until it remains constant for at least four measurements. This is the boiling point.
• Repeat the steps 1 to 4; however, each time add a different amount of salt to the water. Suggested amounts of salt are 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 grams as shown in the following table.

Your results table may look like this:

• Use tap water or drinking water if you don’t have access to the distilled water
• If your pot or beaker are big and you need to do your experiment with more water, increase the amount of salt at the same ratio.
• C = Celsius Temperature Scale (Centigrade)
• F = Fahrenheit
• If you don’t have a scale to weight 5 grams salt, use one small tea spoon. That will hold approximately 5 grams of salt.
• The first experiment with pure water is also the control for your other experiments.
• 102ºC and 106ºC in the above table are possible answers reported by other students. Please note that they may be wrong or inaccurate!

Make a bar graph:

For each of the six solutions that you test make a vertical bar (so your graph will have 6 vertical bars). The height of each bar will represent the boiling temperature of one specific solution. The name of the bar will be the amount of salt added.

The bar graph in the right is for a similar experiment with only 3 different solutions. 0 is for no salt, 1 is for 1 table spoon and 2 is for 2 table spoon salt in one quart of water.

Materials and Equipment:

• Thermometer* (available at science suppliers),
• Glass beakers or metal pots,
• Electric stove (hotplate)

* Glass and dial thermometers shown above are available at MiniScience.com and klk.com. Either of the two models may be used for freezing temperatures. Dial thermometers last longer; however, glass thermometers are more accurate.

Results of Experiment (Observation):

The above table will be completed and used as the result of your experiment. You may also write in a paragraph or two the result. What you write may be an answer to the following questions:

1. What was the highest temperature that the salt water reached?

2. At what temperature does the pure water boil?

If the thermometer extends beyond the outside of the pot it reads a higher temperature. Heat from the stove burner makes the thermometer read higher. Keep the thermometer over the pot when making temperature measurements.

Calculations:

No calculation is required

Summary of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to describe the effect of salt on freezing point of water. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did.

Related Questions & Answers:

What you have learned may allow you to answer other questions. Many questions are related. Several new questions may have occurred to you while doing experiments. You may now be able to understand or verify things that you discovered when gathering information for the project. Questions lead to more questions, which lead to additional hypothesis that need to be tested.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

Visit your local library and find books about salt, water, general chemistry, physical chemistry or chemical physics. Look for chapters that discuss changes in physical properties of a substance when mixed with other substances.

List the books and the online resources that you use in this part of your report.

It is always important for students, parents and teachers to know a good source for science related equipment and supplies they need for their science activities. Please note that many online stores for science supplies are managed by MiniScience.

Testimonials

" I called School Time and my husband and son came with me for the tour. We felt the magic immediately."

- Robby Robinson

" My husband and son came with me for the tour. We felt the magic immediately."

- Zoe Ranson

Contact Info

Our address, working hours.

Week Days: 07:00-19:00

Saturday: 09:00-15:00

Sunday: Closed

Science Project

37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy

We’ve curated a diverse selection of water related science experiments suitable for all ages, covering topics such as density, surface tension, water purification, and much more.

These hands-on, educational activities will not only deepen your understanding of water’s remarkable properties but also ignite a passion for scientific inquiry.

So, grab your lab coat and let’s dive into the fascinating world of water-based science experiments!

Water Science Experiments

1. walking water science experiment.

This experiment is a simple yet fascinating science experiment that involves observing the capillary action of water. Children can learn a lot from this experiment about the characteristics of water and the capillary action phenomenon. It is also a great approach to promote scientific curiosity and enthusiasm.

Learn more: Walking Water Science Experiment

2. Water Filtration Experiment

A water filtering experiment explains how to purify contaminated water using economical supplies. The experiment’s goal is to educate people about the procedure of water filtration, which is crucial in clearing water of impurities and contaminants so that it is safe to drink.

Learn more: Water Filtration Experiment

3. Water Cycle in a Bag

The water cycle in a bag experiment became to be an enjoyable and useful instructional exercise that helps students understand this idea. Participants in the experiment can observe the many water cycle processes by building a model of the water cycle within a Ziplock bag.

4. Cloud in a Jar

The rain cloud in a jar experiment is a popular instructional project that explains the water cycle and precipitation creation. This experiment is best done as a water experiment since it includes monitoring and understanding how water changes state from a gas (water vapor) to a liquid (rain) and back to a gas.

Learn more: Cloud in a Jar

5. The Rising Water

The rising water using a candle experiment is a wonderful way to teach both adults and children the fundamentals of physics while also giving them an exciting look at the properties of gases and how they interact with liquids.

6. Leak Proof Bag Science Experiment

In the experiment, a plastic bag will be filled with water, and after that, pencils will be inserted through the bag without causing it to leak.

The experiments explain how the plastic bag’s polymer chains stretch and form a barrier that keeps water from dripping through the holes the pencils have produced.

Learn more: Leak Proof Bag Science Experiment

7. Keep Paper Dry Under Water Science Experiment

The experiment is an enjoyable way for demonstrating air pressure and surface tension for both adults and children. It’s an entertaining and engaging technique to increase scientific curiosity and learn about scientific fundamentals.

Learn more: Keep Paper Dry Under Water Science Experiment

8. Frozen Water Science Experiment

The Frozen Water Science Experiment is a fun and engaging project that teaches about the qualities of water and how it behaves when frozen.

You can gain a better knowledge of the science behind the freezing process and investigate how different variables can affect the outcome by carrying out this experiment.

9. Make Ice Stalagmites

10. Bending of Light

A fascinating scientific activity that explores visual principles and how light behaves in different surfaces is the “bending of light” water experiment. This experiment has applications in physics, engineering, and technology in addition to being a fun and interesting method to learn about the characteristics of light.

11. Salt on a Stick

This experiment is an excellent way to catch interest, engage in practical learning, and gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of water and how they relate to other substances. So the “Salt on Stick” water experiment is definitely worth trying if you’re looking for a fun and educational activity to try!

Learn More: Water Cycle Experiment Salt and Stick

12. Separating Mixture by Evaporation

This method has practical applications in fields like water processing and is employed in a wide range of scientific disciplines, from chemistry to environmental science.

You will better understand the principles determining the behavior of mixtures and the scientific procedures used to separate them by performing this experiment at home.

13. Dancing Spaghetti

Have you ever heard of the dancing spaghetti experiment? It’s a fascinating science experiment that combines simple materials to create a mesmerizing visual display.

The dancing spaghetti experiment is not only entertaining, but it also helps you understand the scientific concepts of chemical reactions, gas production, and acidity levels.

14. Magic Color Changing Potion

The magic color-changing potion experiment with water, vinegar, and baking soda must be tried since it’s an easy home-based scientific experiment that’s entertaining and educational.

This experiment is an excellent way to teach kids about chemical reactions and the characteristics of acids and bases while providing them an interesting and satisfying activity.

15. Traveling Water Experiment

In this experiment, you will use simple objects like straws or strings to make a path for water to pass between two or more containers.

Learn more: Rookie Parenting

16. Dry Erase and Water “Floating Ink” Experiment

The dry-erase and water “floating ink” experiment offers an interesting look at the characteristics of liquids and the laws of buoyancy while also being a great method to educate kids and adults to the fundamentals of science.

Learn more: Dry Erase and Water Floating Ink Experiment

17. Underwater Candle

In this experiment, we will investigate a connection between fire and water and learn about the remarkable factors of an underwater candle.

18. Static Electricity and Water

19. Tornado in a Glass

This captivating experiment will demonstrate how the forces of air and water can combine to create a miniature vortex, resembling a tornado.

Learn more: Tornado in a Glass

20. Make Underwater Magic Sand

Be ready to build a captivating underwater world with the magic sand experiment. This experiment will examine the fascinating characteristics of hydrophobic sand, sometimes referred to as magic sand.

21. Candy Science Experiment

Get ready to taste the rainbow and learn about the science behind it with the Skittles and water experiment! In this fun and colorful experiment, we will explore the concept of solubility and observe how it affects the diffusion of color.

Density Experiments

Density experiments are a useful and instructive approach to learn about the characteristics of matter and the fundamentals of science, and they can serve as a starting point for further exploration into the fascinating world of science.

Density experiments may be carried out with simple materials that can be found in most homes.

This experiment can be a great hands-on learning experience for kids and science lovers of all ages.

22. Super Cool Lava Lamp Experiment

The awesome lava lamp experiment is an entertaining and educational activity that illustrates the concepts of density and chemical reactions. With the help of common household items, this experiment involves making a handmade lava lamp.

Learn more: Lava Lamp Science Experiment

23. Denser Than you Think

Welcome to the fascinating world of density science! The amount of matter in a particular space or volume is known as density, and it is a fundamental concept in science that can be seen everywhere around us.

Understanding density can help us figure out why some objects float while others sink in water, or why certain compounds do not mix.

24. Egg Salt and Water

Learn about the characteristics of water, including its density and buoyancy, and how the addition of salt affects these characteristics through performing this experiment.

25. Hot Water and Cold-Water Density

In this experiment, hot and cold water are put into a container to see how they react to one other’s temperatures and how they interact.

Sound and Water Experiments

Have you ever wondered how sound travels through different mediums? Take a look at these interesting sound and water experiments and learn how sounds and water can affect each other.

26. Home Made Water Xylophone

You can do this simple scientific experiment at home using a few inexpensive ingredients to create a handmade water xylophone.

The experiment demonstrates the science of sound and vibration and demonstrates how changing water concentrations can result in a range of tones and pitches.

Learn more: Home Made Water Xylophone

27. Create Water Forms Using Sound!

A remarkable experiment that exhibits the ability of sound waves to influence and impact the physical world around us is the creation of water formations using sound.

In this experiment, sound waves are used to generate patterns and shapes, resulting in amazing, intricate designs that are fascinating to observe.

28. Sound Makes Water Come Alive 

These experiments consist of using sound waves to create water vibrations, which can result in a variety of dynamic and captivating phenomena.

29. Water Whistle

The water whistle experiment includes blowing air through a straw that is submerged in water to produce a whistle.

This experiment is an excellent way to learn about the characteristics of sound waves and how water can affect them.

Water Surface Tension Experiments

You can observe the effects of surface tension on the behavior of liquids by conducting a surface tension experiment.

By trying these experiments, you can gain a better understanding of the properties of liquids and their behavior and how surface tension affects their behavior.

30. Floating Paperclip

In this experiment, you will put a paper clip on the top of the water and observe it float because of the water’s surface tension.

31. Water Glass Surface Tension

Have you ever noticed how, on some surfaces, water drops may form perfect spheres? The surface tension, which is a characteristic of water and the cohesive force that holds a liquid’s molecules together at its surface, is to blame for this.

32. Camphor Powered Boat

The camphor-powered boat experiment is a fun and fascinating way to explore the principles of chemistry, physics, and fluid mechanics. In this experiment, a miniature boat is used to travel across the water’s surface using camphor tablets.

33. Pepper and Soap Experiment

The pepper in a cloud experiment is a simple and interesting activity that explains the concept of surface tension. This experiment includes adding pepper to a bowl of water and then pouring soap to the mixture, causing the pepper to move away from the soap.

Learn more: Pepper and Soap Experiment

Boiling Water Experiments

Experiments with boiling water are an engaging and informative way to learn about physics, chemistry, and water’s characteristics.

These investigations, which include examining how water behaves when it changes temperature and pressure, can shed light on a variety of scientific phenomena.

It’s important to take the proper safety measures when performing experiments with hot water. Boiling water can produce steam and hot particles that are dangerous to inhale in and can result in severe burns if it comes into contact with skin.

34. Make It Rain

This experiment can be accomplished using basic supplies that can be found in most homes, make it an excellent opportunity for hands-on learning for both kids and science lovers.

Learn more: Make it Rain

35. Fire Water Balloons

Learning about the fundamentals of thermodynamics, the behavior of gases, and the effects of heat on objects are all made possible by this experiment.

36. Boil Water with Ice

The Boiling Water with Ice experiment is an engaging and beneficial approach to learn about temperature and the behavior of water. It can also serve as an introduction for further discovery into the wonderful world of science.

37. Boil Water in a Paper Cup

The “boil water in a cup” experiment is an easier but powerful approach to illustrate the idea of heat transmission by conduction. This experiment is often used in science classes to teach students about thermal conductivity and the physics of heat transfer.

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• Top 50 Fun Food Science Experiments
• Top 100 Fine Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

When boiling water, how is evaporation rate affected by the surface area of the container?

Imagine two pots boiling on a stove. One is tall, while one is wide. Both contain the same volume of water.

What will be the difference in the rate of evaporation between the two containers?

• thermodynamics

• 1 $\begingroup$ A precise modelling isn't easy at all. For comparable size and shape and the same stove flame you could expect that water evaporates faster (absolute volume reduction) from the wider one. $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 11, 2019 at 8:57

2 Answers 2

Boiling water

When you boil water on a stove, the temperature on the bottom of the pot is higher than the boiling point. Steam bubbles are generated, and they help to heat the water at the top of the pot (convection also helps, and conduction of the pot itself). Once you have a rolling boil, the rate is determined by how quickly you can supply more heat (almost all of it now goes into the phase transition). If you use the same burner, and mostly heat the pot (so no tiny pot on a big burner), at that stage the rate of boiling off should be the same.

Evaporating water

When the temperature of the water is below boiling, the mechanism is different. Rather than steam displacing the air above the water, single water molecules break away from the liquid and mix with the air. Evaporation rates depend on the partial pressure of water just above the surface (this influences condensation, i.e. the reverse reaction), the surface area, and the vapor pressure of water in the liquid state. Anything that lowers the partial pressure of water (such as "wind" bringing in dry air), increases the surface area (different pot geometry) or increases the vapor pressure (temperature) will increase net evaporation rates.

Beaker vs Erlenmeyer

Tall vs. wide pot changes the contact area with the stove top and the area of the liquid:gas interface at the same time. If you compare a beaker with an Erlenmeyer (same bottom area), it should show similar boiling rates (maybe a big mess with overboiling for the Erlenmeyer) but very different evaporation rates.

• $\begingroup$ See this answer for an example how phase transitions help in heat transfer. $\endgroup$ –  Karsten ♦ Commented Jul 11, 2019 at 14:04

There are multiple effects which differ in both cases.

Firstly, convection (e.g. "wind") in the air will be much more efficient in the wide container. The tall container will limit the quantity of air flowing just above the surface. This, in turns, means that the water that does evaporate will remain for longer just above the surface of the water, and has more chances of returning to solution.

Secondly, the container itself will act as condenser. As the metal is typically cooler than the water vapour, the metal can cool down the vapour and turning it back into water, which conveniently flows back into the pot. The more exposed surface you have around the boiling water, the more important this effect will be.

You might also consider the power of the stove itself. This is hard to account for, but briefly, there might be some differences in the heat diffusion in the water.

• 1 $\begingroup$ Not clear if water is boiling or just evaporation is considered. You mention metal at room T than stove, etc. $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 11, 2019 at 8:52
• $\begingroup$ Boiling is fast evaporation. Feel free to edit my answer if you want to be more precise. Good point about the metal, I edited this. $\endgroup$ –  Raphaël Commented Jul 11, 2019 at 11:16
• $\begingroup$ See my comment. It is really tricky and engineering oriented. Water in a baking tin might even not boil, and in a very extended ideal one can fast evaporate. It is really complicated, at least in my opinion. Obviously there are parts of truth in your answer, at least listing the parameters, or some of the parameters, involved. $\endgroup$ –  Alchimista Commented Jul 11, 2019 at 13:56

Your Answer

Reminder: Answers generated by artificial intelligence tools are not allowed on Chemistry Stack Exchange. Learn more

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest.

Required, but never shown

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy .

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged thermodynamics or ask your own question .

• Featured on Meta
• Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

• What kind of publications can i submit on my own without the need of supervisors approval?
• Derivative of the Score Function in Fisher Information
• What is the safest way to camp in a zombie apocalypse?
• Are 1/20 undocumented immigrants married to American citizens?
• Parity of a number with missing digits
• C# Linked List implementation
• Can a contract require you to accept new T&C?
• Why does detector inefficiency (or dark counts) count as a "loop-hole" in Bell-inequality tests?
• I'm on a windows 10 machine and trying desperately to see when the last dns flush took place
• Binary Slashes Display
• Why does c show up in Schwarzschild's equation for the horizon radius?
• Personal Loan to a Friend
• If a reference is no longer publicly available, should you include the proofs of the results you cite from it?
• Is there some sort of kitchen utensil/device like a cylinder with a strainer?
• Short story about soldiers who are fighting against an enemy which turns out to be themselves
• Is this professor being unnecessarily harsh or did I actually make a mistake?
• Medical - Must use corrective lens(es)…
• Creating a command to display blackboard font
• Rewarding the finding of zeroes of a hash function
• Dealing with denorms in the ARM Cortex M4 FPU
• Looking for a caveman-discovers-fire short story that is a pun on "nuclear" power
• Who is a "sibling"?
• Mōnstrō and mōnstrum - how exactly are they related?
• How to make sure to only get full frame lenses for the Canon EF (non-mirrorless) mount?

Mind Your Decisions

Math Videos, Math Puzzles, Game Theory. By Presh Talwalkar

Does water boil faster in a covered or uncovered pot?

If you buy from a link in this post, I may earn a commission. This does not affect the price you pay. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.

Posted June 21, 2012 By Presh Talwalkar. Read about me , or email me .

I cook soup daily so I do my fair share of boiling water. I always cover up the pot when I heat the water to make things go quicker.

I mean, it just makes sense: the cover traps the heat that would otherwise escape so that should heat the water faster. Plus, the very existence of pressure cookers would suggest that trapping heat makes for an efficient cooking method.

But a few years ago one of my friends questioned this logic. He is a smart guy from an Ivy League college, so I didn’t just brush his opinion aside.

He agreed with me that covering a pot should trap in heat. But on the other hand, he reminded me of a bit of chemistry. When you cover the pot, you are creating pressure inside the pot which will increase the boiling point of water (known as Gay-Lussac’s law ).

So he wondered, might covering the pot actually take longer due to the increased boiling point of water?

The answer is no, it’s still better to cover. But let’s confirm this and understand the reason why.

"All will be well if you use your mind for your decisions, and mind only your decisions." Since 2007, I have devoted my life to sharing the joy of game theory and mathematics. MindYourDecisions now has over 1,000 free articles with no ads thanks to community support! Help out and get early access to posts with a pledge on Patreon .

My small experiment of boiling water

I thought it would be fun to actually boil some water in pots and see how much of a difference covering makes.

I used the following experimental design:

–I weighed out 16.00 oz of filtered room temperature water –I used a 4 cup stainless steel pot (the pot can make a big difference) –I set my gas range to a high flame –I used a stopwatch to record when boiling occurred –Every minute I measured the temperature with an IR thermometer gun for the center of the water –I did not stir the water

I repeated the process using both a covered pot and an uncovered pot. For the covered pot, I would very briefly open the lid to get the temperature reading every minute. I knew it was boiling by the sound, and also I had a rough idea of when it would boil since the temperature of the water increased almost linearly.

So here are the results.

The covered pot boiled quicker at 4 minutes and 15 seconds. The uncovered pot took an extra 30 seconds to boil at 4 minutes and 45 seconds.

I stopped the experiment at 212 F when the water was boiling. Here’s a graph I made of my temperature readings:

(Note: the covered pot also boiled around 212 F, so there wasn’t much increased pressure to raise the boiling point.)

So there you have it: one confirmation that it’s faster to boil water in a covered pot.

Important caveat : You have to be vigilant when boiling with a covered lid so the water does not boil over. For this reason I always cook soup uncovered after I get the water to a boil.

The reason why water boils faster in a covered pot

It is true that covering a pot will increase the pressure and raise water’s boiling point. In many pressure cookers, water will boil at 120 C (248 F) which is quite a bit higher than the normal boiling point (100 C / 212 F).

But this effect is minimal compared to another effect. When you cover a pot, you are trapping the heat inside which is energy that can be used to heat and boil the water faster.

As explained on this educational website :

In the uncovered pot, as the water heats up and gains energy (temperature), some of that energy is used to change the phase of the water from liquid to gas. The energy this phase change requires is called the latent heat of evaporation. As the water heats up, some of it changes to water vapor, using up some of the energy that the water would need to boil. The water in the covered pot will also lose energy as some molecules change phase (liquid to gas). However, since there is a lid, the gaseous water cannot escape. It will condense on the lid, which releases energy (the latent heat of condensation, which is the same amount as the latent heat of evaporation) back to the liquid water. In this system, very little (if any, depending how tight the lid is) energy is lost, and the water will have more energy and boil faster.

In conclusion: it is definitely a bit faster to boil water in a covered pot. True, it’s on the order of seconds and minutes, but in our busy lives every second can count.

So next time you need to boil water on the stove, save yourself some time and cover up.

Published by

Presh talwalkar.

I run the MindYourDecisions channel on YouTube , which has over 1 million subscribers and 200 million views. I am also the author of The Joy of Game Theory: An Introduction to Strategic Thinking , and several other books which are available on Amazon .

(As you might expect, the links for my books go to their listings on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.)

By way of history, I started the Mind Your Decisions blog back in 2007 to share a bit of math, personal finance, personal thoughts, and game theory. It's been quite a journey! I thank everyone that has shared my work, and I am very grateful for coverage in the press , including the Shorty Awards, The Telegraph, Freakonomics, and many other popular outlets.

I studied Economics and Mathematics at Stanford University.

People often ask how I make the videos. Like many YouTubers I use popular software to prepare my videos. You can search for animation software tutorials on YouTube to learn how to make videos. Be prepared--animation is time consuming and software can be expensive!

Feel free to send me an email [email protected] . I get so many emails that I may not reply, but I save all suggestions for puzzles/video topics.

If you purchase through these links, I may be compensated for purchases made on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.

Book ratings are from January 2023.

Mind Your Decisions is a compilation of 5 books:

The Joy of Game Theory shows how you can use math to out-think your competition. (rated 4.3/5 stars on 290 reviews)

40 Paradoxes in Logic, Probability, and Game Theory contains thought-provoking and counter-intuitive results. (rated 4.2/5 stars on 54 reviews)

The Irrationality Illusion: How To Make Smart Decisions And Overcome Bias is a handbook that explains the many ways we are biased about decision-making and offers techniques to make smart decisions. (rated 4.1/5 stars on 33 reviews)

The Best Mental Math Tricks teaches how you can look like a math genius by solving problems in your head (rated 4.3/5 stars on 116 reviews)

Multiply Numbers By Drawing Lines This book is a reference guide for my video that has over 1 million views on a geometric method to multiply numbers. (rated 4.4/5 stars on 37 reviews)

Mind Your Puzzles is a collection of the three "Math Puzzles" books, volumes 1, 2, and 3. The puzzles topics include the mathematical subjects including geometry, probability, logic, and game theory.

Math Puzzles Volume 1 features classic brain teasers and riddles with complete solutions for problems in counting, geometry, probability, and game theory. Volume 1 is rated 4.4/5 stars on 112 reviews.

Math Puzzles Volume 2 is a sequel book with more great problems. (rated 4.2/5 stars on 33 reviews)

Math Puzzles Volume 3 is the third in the series. (rated 4.2/5 stars on 29 reviews)

KINDLE UNLIMITED

Teachers and students around the world often email me about the books. Since education can have such a huge impact, I try to make the ebooks available as widely as possible at as low a price as possible.

Currently you can read most of my ebooks through Amazon's "Kindle Unlimited" program. Included in the subscription you will get access to millions of ebooks. You don't need a Kindle device: you can install the Kindle app on any smartphone/tablet/computer/etc. I have compiled links to programs in some countries below. Please check your local Amazon website for availability and program terms.

MERCHANDISE

Grab a mug, tshirt, and more at the official site for merchandise: Mind Your Decisions at Teespring .

7 thoughts on “Does water boil faster in a covered or uncovered pot?”

Interesting that you did not mention the savings in energy consumption by covering the pot.

Less time cooking equals less used energy.

I had exactly the same debate with a friend of mine 10 years ago. I thought covering the pot would make it boil faster but my friend made the same pressure argument as Presh’s friend. I never took the time to do the experiment, so I am glad to see this resolved.

Doesn’t taking the lid off the pot briefly invalidate the experiment? You didn’t test uncovered pot vs. covered pot; You tested uncovered pot vs intermittently covered pot. The pressure release of uncovering could outweigh the lost heat of uncovering.

Hey thanks I did think about this issue but forgot to post about it.

I ran a third trial where I left covered the pot the entire time and timed how long it took to boil by listening carefully to the water as it simmered. It took exactly the same time as when I briefly uncovered the pot to take 1-minute readings. This tells me the pressure did not increase too much.

How well did the lid fit the pot? If it was not completely airtight, then water vapor could escape, so you were not really increasing the pressure inside the pot significantly. Also, what tgt mentioned below about repeated uncovering.

To make water boil at 120C, you need to have 15psig pressure inside the pot. On a small pot, lets assume the lid is ~10 square inches. Thus you need 150 lbs of force to push the lid off. It takes ~1 lbs of force to move a normal lid off the pot (the lid’s weight). If the lid weighed 1.5lbs, leading to a 0.15 psi increase in pressure, the water will boil at 102C. I think this is being conservative as you are assuming no pressure leaks in the pot-lid seal. Thus, the increased temp rise due to do putting on a lid is small (at best) and has little effect on boiling time.

Better to use light or heavy lid then?

Comments are closed.

• Why Bubbles? Why Now?
• From Birth to Bake: A Scientific Bubble Biography
• Nigerian Masa
• Genoise Sponge
• Trapped Gas
• The Science of Aquafaba Meringues
• Cheesefoam Bubble Tea
• Mixed Berry Trifle
• Perfect Whipped Cream
• Cardamom Meringue Cookies
• The Perfect Cup of Coffee
• The Science of Boiling Points
• How a CO2 Shortage is Changing Beer Brewing
• The Best Milk Frothers
• Should You Buy a Coffee Siphon?
• Soda Makers Review
• Champagne vs. Wine Glasses
• The Best Whipped Cream Siphons
• Fermentation Gear Round-Up
• Food Science

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (Plus More!) About Boiling Water

How often have you wondered about the hidden complexities of what happens when a pot of water comes to a boil? Here's the answer.

We've all heard the expression: "He's such a bad cook, he can't even boil water." But how often do you actually think about the hidden complexities behind throwing a pot full of water on top of a burner?

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Earlier this week, after writing over 7,000 words on the subject of boiling water, I discovered that the average length of my Food Lab posts is directly proportional to my waistline down to the third decimal place. Unfortunately for you, my readers, and for my wife who has to look at me every day, both are expanding at quite a disturbing rate. Rather than expose you to the horrors of an hours' worth of reading on the kitchen's simplest subject, instead, here's my attempt at self-editing down to a more-reasonable-but-still-thorough-attempt. Let's begin.

Up, Up, and Away

First things first: What exactly is boiling? The technical definition is what occurs when the vapor pressure of a liquid is greater than or equal to the atmospheric pressure.

"The floodgates open, and water molecules rapidly jump from liquid state to gas."

Basically, even though liquid water molecules tend to like each other and stick together, give them enough energy (in the form of heat), and they'll get so hyperactive that they'll attempt to jump up and off into the atmosphere. At the same time, molecules of air (mostly nitrogen and oxygen) are bumping down onto the surface of the water, trying to keep the little guys in line. At reasonable temperatures, the air does a pretty good job of keeping the water in check, allowing only a few molecules to jump up and away. But, give enough heat, the outward pressure of the water vapor trying to escape will exceed that of the air pressing it down. The floodgates open, and water molecules rapidly jump from liquid state to gas.

Ah, the sweet smell of freedom, they seem to say.

This conversion of liquid water to water vapor (steam) is what you see when you're looking at a pot of boiling water.

As we all know, for pure water at standard pressure (the air pressure that exists at sea level), the temperature at which this occurs is 212°F (100°C). But what kind of things can effect this temperature, and what's it all mean for your cooking?

Let's find out.

Quiver, Quiver, Bubble, and Simmer

Recipes often call for things like "simmer," "quiver," and "boil" without offering much by way of technical definition. Here's a quick timeline of what happens when you bring a pot of water to a boil:

• 140 to 170°F: Beginning of "quiver" phase. At this stage, tiny bubbles of water vapor will being forming at nucleation sites (more on those later) along the bottom and sides of the pan. They won't be large enough to actually jump and rise to the surface of the water, though their formation will cause the top surface to vibrate a bit, hence the "quiver." The temperature range between 140 and 170°F is ideal for gently poaching meats, fish, and eggs (around 160°F is standard if you don't want to wait hours for your proteins to cook)
• 170 to 195°F: Sub-simmer. The bubbles from the sides and bottom of the pot have begun to rise to the surface. Usually, you'll see a couple of streams of tiny, champagne-like bubbles rising from the bottom of the pot. For the most part, however, the liquid is still relatively still. This is the temperature range you're looking for in things like making stock or slow-cooking gentle braises and stews. Much lower, and they'll take too long to cook. Much higher, and you run the risk of drying out your meat.
• 195 to 212°F: Full simmer. Bubbles break the surface of the pot regularly, and from all points—not just a few individual streams as in a sub-simmer. This is the temperature to use when using a steamer basket above the water, melting chocolate, or making things like hollandaise in a double boiler.
• 212°F: Full rolling boil. You know the drill. Blanching vegetables, cooking pasta (the traditional way, not our new and improved method ), throwing over enemies, etc.

Altitude and Boiling Point

A couple years ago, I was visiting my future in-laws in Bogotá, Colombia. Intent as I was on demonstrating exactly how well-fed their daughter would be in my care, I decided to wake up extra early to make breakfast for the whole family. Mangoes were freshly squeezed, coffee beans were lovingly hand-selected and roasted, fresh milk was gently coaxed from ripe udders, and pandebono was crisped in the oven.

With everything in order and my hosts seated at the kitchen table, I gently slipped a half dozen freshly laid huevos into a pan of water heated to a gentle quiver and waited for them to transform into ethereally tender poached eggs—a transformation I've successfully effected hundreds, if not thousands of times.

Of course, this time nothing happened, and we ended up eating omelets.

The problem is that because of gravity, the higher you go, the less air molecules there are in a given space—the air is less dense. Lower density means lower atmospheric pressure. Lower atmospheric pressure means that the water molecules need less energy to escape into the air. All of this means that everything that happens to our precious water timeline at sea level occurs at much lower temperatures at higher altitudes.

In Bogotá, for example, which is a good 8,000 feet above sea level, water that appears to me to be around 165°F is in reality a good 14 or 15 degrees cooler. In fact, go up high enough, and it becomes nearly impossible to poach eggs—the water comes to a full boil long before appropriate poaching temperatures can be reached).

This graph charts the boiling temperature of water as you go into higher altitudes.

This altitude effect can wreak all sorts of havoc on recipes. Beans don't cook right. Pasta never softens. Stews take longer to braise. Pancakes can over-rise and deflate, just to name a few. Go high enough, and you won't even be able to cook vegetables, which need to be heated to at least 183°F to break down.

For some of these problems, most notably stews, dry beans, and root vegetables, a pressure cooker can be a lifesaver. It works by creating a vapor-tight seal around your food. As the water inside heats up and converts to steam, the pressure inside the pot increases (because steam takes up more space than water). This increased pressure keeps the water from boiling, allowing you to bring it to a much higher temperature than you would in the open air. Most pressure cookers will allow you to cook at temperatures between 240 and 250°F (122°C), no matter what altitude you are at. This is why pressure cookers are so popular throughout the Andes—no self-respecting Colombian home is without one.

As for the other effects of altitude (poached eggs, pancakes, and the like), there are unfortunately no hard and fast solutions to apply across the board. Sometimes, the best you can do is pat your elevationally-inclined friends on the back and say "tough luck. Perhaps next time you won't think of yourself so highly ."

Cold Taps, Previously Frozen Water, and Other Myths

Let's sidetrack a bit to dispel a few common water-boiling myths.

• Cold water boils faster than hot water. False. This one makes no sense, and that's because it's completely untrue, and really really easy to prove. It's a wonder it persists. There is, however, a good reason to use cold water instead of hot for cooking: hot water will contain more dissolved minerals from your pipes, which can give your food an off-flavor, particularly if you reduce the water a lot.
• Water that's been frozen or previously boiled will boil faster. False. This one has a little bit more scientific backing. Boiling or freezing water removes dissolved gases (mostly oxygen), which can slightly affect the boiling temperature. So slight, in fact, that neither my timer or thermometer could detect any difference.
• Salt raises the boiling point of water. True... sort of. Dissolved solids like salt and sugar will in fact increase the boiling point of water, causing it to come to a boil more slowly, but the effect is minimal (the amounts normally used in cooking effect less than a 1 degree change). For it to make any significant difference, you need to add it in really vast quantities. So for the most part, you can ignore this one.
• A watched pot never boils. True.
• Alcohol completely boils off when cooking. False. It seems to make sense. Water boils at 212°F and alcohol boils at around 173°F, so surely the alcohol will completely vaporize before you've even made a dent in the water, right? Nope. Even after three hours of simmering, a good 5% of the initial alcohol in your stew will remain. Cook it with the lid on, and that number jumps up by up to ten times higher. It's not enough booze for most people to worry about, but something a teetotaler might want to keep in mind.

On Salt and Nucleation

"But wait!" I hear you cry. "I've seen it myself: Throw a handful of salt in a pot of nearly boiling water, and it will suddenly and rapidly come to a full rolling boil. Surely salt has some significant effect on boiling temperature?"

Adding a handful of salt to simmering or boiling water certainly appears to make it rapidly boil. This is because of little things called nucleation sites, which are, essentially, the birthplace of bubbles. In order for bubbles of steam to form, there needs to be some sort of irregularity within the volume of water—microscopic scratches on the inside surface of the pot will do, as will tiny bits of dust or the pores of a wooden spoon. A handful of salt rapidly introduces thousands of nucleation sites, making it very easy for bubbles to form and escape.

Ever notice how in a glass of champagne the bubbles rise in distinct streams from single points? It's a good bet that there's a microscopic scratch or dust particle right at that point.

On a much grander scale, entire galaxies were formed when matter started to collect in gravity wells formed initially by tiny nucleation sites in the early universe. This baffles scientists (if there was nothing before the big bang, what then were these primordial nucleation sites?). But that's neither here nor there (or perhaps it's everywhere?)

A model of the universe in a pot of boiling water. Whoda thunk it, right?

"Microwaves take advantage of this fact by shooting waves that cause water molecules to rapidly flip back and forth."

As we know, water is composed of individual molecules (each with two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom; H2O). The faster these molecules move around, the higher the temperature of the water. Now, these molecules have a magnetic charge, meaning that they are affected by electro-magnetic radiation (which, by the way, is not as nefarious as it sounds—the light you see with your eyes and the heat you feel on your skin are both forms of electro-magnetic radiation). Microwaves take advantage of this fact by shooting waves that cause water molecules to rapidly flip back and forth. This motion in turn heats your food.

Because microwaves allow so little energy to be lost to the outside environment (the way, for example a gas burner will heat up the room), they are extremely efficient at heating water. They're great for boiling water quickly without heating up the apartment. An electric kettle is also extremely efficient on this front.

"It's called superheating, and it really is as cool as it sounds."

But there's one thing to be aware of. It's called superheating, and it really is as cool as it sounds. Heat up water in a blemish-free container with minimal disturbance (like in the microwave, for example), and because of a lack of nucleation points, it's possible to heat it well beyond its boiling point without it ever boiling.

As soon as some turbulence is introduced—a little wobble from the turntable, for example—bubbles burst forth, sending hot water all over the inside of your microwave. This doesn't happen on the stovetop, since heating from the bottom of the pot creates lots of convection currents (the movement that occurs between relatively hot and cool regions of liquid or gas).

It's a lot like my wife, who will quietly suppress tiny annoyances until the slightest disturbance will send her into an all-out rage. In both cases, the results aren't pretty. It's best to avoid these violent outcomes by commenting on how nice your water's hair looks today or by sticking a wooden spoon in your wife before microwaving her.

Here's an interesting one. Say I'm making a stew in the oven. I put my heavy Dutch oven in there, set the temperature to a moderate 275 degrees, and walk away. Eventually, the water should come to a 212-degree boil, right?

Actually, no. Because of the cooling effect of evaporation (it takes a significant amount of energy for those water molecules to jump from the surface of the liquid—energy that they steal from the liquid itself, cooling it down), an open pot of stew in a 275 degree oven will max out at around 185 degrees. Good news for you, because that's right in the optimal sub-simmer stewing temperature zone.

Pop the lid on, however, and you cut the amount of evaporation that takes place. Less evaporation means higher max temperature. In my quick test at home, putting on the lid increased temperatures in the pot by almost 25 degrees!

For this reason, I generally braise or stew with the lid to my pot slightly ajar. This allows enough evaporation to keep the temperature down, but not so much that the top surface of the stew dehydrates or browns.

Party Tricks

Pop quiz: I've got two identical pans. One is maintained at 300°F on a burner, and the other is maintained at 400°F. I then add a half ounce of water to each pan and time how long it takes for the water to evaporate. How much faster does the water in the 400°F pan evaporate than the 300°F pan?

• A . About ten times as fast.
• B . At 4/3rds the rate.
• C . At almost the same rate.
• D . None-of-the-above-and-actually-the-exact-opposite-of-what-you'd-expect-because-the-universe-enjoys-being-confusing.

You got it. The water in the 400°F pan will actually take longer to evaporate. In fact, when I performed this very test at home, it took nearly ten times as long for the water in the hot pan to vaporize. This seems contrary to pretty much everything we've learned so far, doesn't it? I mean, hotter pan = more energy, and more energy = faster evaporation, right?

The principal was first observed by Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost, an 18th century German doctor. The epic coolness of his observation is matched only by the epic coolness of his hairdo. Turns out that if you give a drop of water on a pan enough energy, the steam that it produces will press out so forcefully that it will actually lift the water droplet clear off the surface of the pan. No longer in direct contact with the pan and insulated by this layer of steam, the transfer of energy between the pan and the water becomes quite inefficient, thus the water takes a long time to evaporate.

This effect can be quite useful in the kitchen.

Drop a bead of water on a pan while heating it. If it stays on the surface and evaporates rapidly, your pan is under 350°F or so—a sub-optimal temperature for most sauteing and searing. If, on the other hand, the pan is hot enough for the Leidenfrost effect to kick in, the water will form distinct drops that skid and scoot over the surface of the metal, taking quite a while to evaporate. Congratulations: Your pan is hot enough to cook in.

Put cold milk in a pot and heat it up slowly, you end up with a layer of browned proteins stuck to the bottom of the pot. But, preheat the pot before adding the milk and the Leidenfrost effect will prevent the milk from coming in direct contact with the pan during the initial heating phase, effectively preventing your milk from scorching.

Even cooler: you can actually pour small amounts of liquid nitrogen on your tongue to no ill-effect. The gaseous nitrogen evaporating from he super-cold liquid forms a protective layer, insulating your tongue. I don't recommend trying that one at home.

So. To summarize: things are really only as simple or complicated as you want them to be. You can worry about all this, or you can just pull out the fun facts in casual conversation when you want to sound smart and continue to just throw the pot on the stove when you're really cooking. Most of the time, things will work themselves out just fine.

• Stovetop Guides

More Serious Eats Recipes

• © University of Cambridge 2010 Updated 24 November 2010
• Accessibility

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Science Experiments

A Guide to 3 Simple Heat Conduction Experiments

Last Updated: November 24, 2023 Fact Checked

• Bunsen Burner

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 180,851 times.

Whether you realize it or not, heat conduction is an important part of our lives. You probably use it every single day when you’re cooking a meal or using a radiator. The transfer of heat from a heat source to an object is basic heat conduction. If you’re looking for a way to test it yourself or explain it to a child there are a few simple experiments you can choose from.

Performing a Heat Conduction Experiment With Hot Water

• You need to get spoons that are relatively long. If you put the spoon in the pot the handle should be coming out of the pot by about three or four inches.
• If you want a precise measurement for heat conduction you can also use thermometers. In that case, you’ll need three thermometers and electrical tape.

• While any pot will work, a shallow, broad pot might help you balance the butter on the spoons more easily.

• If you are using thermometers to measure the heat conduction, tape the thermometers to the handles of each spoon before you put them in the water.

• Metal conducts heat better than wood, which conducts heat better than plastic.
• If you are using thermometers, check your thermometer readings after a few minutes. The same results will appear with specific numbers.

Performing a Heat Conduction Experiment With a Balloon

• The balloon pops because the candle heated up the balloon, which weakened the balloon.

• The candle is warming the water rather than popping the balloon. That’s why water isn’t going flying everywhere. The balloon conducts heat and is able to transfer it to the water without damaging the balloon.
• If you hold the candle to the balloon long enough it will pop, but it will take much longer than a balloon filled without air.

Performing a Heat Conduction Experiment With a Bunsen Burner

• You can buy wax and metal tacks at a craft store.

• You should have six tacks connected to the metal rod in all.

• If you have heat resistant gloves and no other way to secure the metal rod over the burner, you can hold the rod there. Keep a steady hand.

• This experiment illustrates how metal conducts heat. You can visualize how one end of the metal rod got hot rather than the entire rod heating up at an equal pace. This is based on where the Bunsen burner was placed. If you placed the burner in the middle of the rod, the heat would start in the middle and extend outwards in either direction. [11] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Use Eye protection if you're handling a Bunsen burner. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Handle the Bunsen burner with care. Place on a safety flame when not heating. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.stemlittleexplorers.com/en/heat-conduction-experiment/
• ↑ https://coolscienceexperimentshq.com/conducting-heat/
• ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/pdf/teachdemos_7.pdf
• ↑ https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/fireproof-balloons/
• ↑ http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ExperimentOnHeatConduction/

About This Article

Heat conduction occurs when heat transfers from a source to an object. You can perform an experiment that shows heat conduction using a pot of water and spoons. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and then removing it from the heat. Then, place 1 wooden spoon, 1 plastic spoon, and 1 metal spoon in the water so the bowl on each spoon is sticking up out of the water and resting on the side of the pot. Place a slice of butter into each of the spoon bowls and wait a few minutes. When you check the spoons, you'll notice that the butter is more melted in the metal spoon than it is in the wooden and plastic spoons. This is because metal conducts heat better than wood and plastic. You'll also notice that the butter is more melted in the wooden spoon than in the plastic spoon, since wood conducts heat better than plastic. To learn how to do a heat conduction experiment with a balloon, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Afaque Ahmed

Apr 4, 2018

Did this article help you?

E. Aspinall

Apr 6, 2017

Edward Richards

Sep 18, 2018

Sep 28, 2018

Feb 2, 2018

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Investigations on Efficient Designs of Domestic Cooking Pots

• Conference paper
• First Online: 27 May 2022
• pp 1039–1053
• Cite this conference paper

• Saurabh P. Joshi 12 &
• D. R. Waghole 12  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering ((LNME))

1124 Accesses

In normal cooking system in which we used to place cooking utensil directly on open flame, the thermal efficiency of the cooking utensils is ranging in between 25 and 40%. There are some mechanisms and day to day practices through which we can increase this efficiency value up to above 65%. For this one effective method is to enhance or modify the shape and size of cooking utensils we are using in our kitchens. This cooking utensils can be of various sizes depending on BIS standards mentioned time to time. Open utensil cooking is generally widely used method for cooking at different strata of society. LPG consumption for such different strata of society should be analyzed, and efforts should be done to minimize the overall energy consumption value. This can be achieved by enhancing geometry of utensil and checking effect of different parameters on their efficiency. Here a systematic work has been carried out in which parameters like utensil shape and size, its different aspect ratio, its volume has been considered, and results are drawn showing effect of varying aspect ratio on thermal efficiency of utensil as well as on overall gas consumption in cooking process. Finally, most efficient modified utensil has been deduced out of selected ones .

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

FAO (1995) Scenarios. In: Future energy requirements for african agriculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. http://www.energycommunity.org/documents/ch4_adb.pdf

Hannani SK, Hessari E, Fardadi M, Jeddi MK (2006) Mathematical modeling of cooking pots’ thermal efficiency usinga combined experimental and neural network method, elsevier publications. Energy 31:2969–2985

Google Scholar  

Karunanithy C, Shafer K (2016) Heat transfer characteristics and cooking efficiency of different saucepans on various cooktops. Appl Therm Eng 93:1202–1215

Kadam P, Shete JP (2017) Experimental study of heat transfer characteristics and thermal efficiency of different cooking pots. IJSDR 2(12)

Huang (2008) Energy efficient cookware, Pub. No.: US 2008/0223359 A1 US 20080223359A1 (43), 18 Sept 2008

Mandil (2016) Methods of making energy efficient cookware. Patent No.: USOOD774350S US D774,350 S, 20 Dec 2016

Huang (2011) Energy efficient cookware. Patent No.: US 8,037,602 B2, 18 Oct 2011

woolf (1985) cookware. Patent Number:4,541,411, 17 Sept 1985

Villacís S, Martínez J, Riofrío AJ, Carrión DF, Orozco MA, Vaca D (2015) Energy efficiency analysis of different materials for cookware commonly used in induction cookers. Energy Proc 75:925–930

Rahmillah FI, Tumanggor AHU (2017) The analysis of thermal comfort in kitchen. Iop Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng 215:012033

Simone A, Olesen BW, Stoops JL, Watkins AW (2013) Thermal comfort in commercial kitchens: Procedure and physical measurements. HVAC&R Res, Taylor & Francis Publications UOV University of Oviedo, 19, 1001–1015

Zhou X, Liu S, Liu X, Lin X, Qing K, Zhang W, Li J (2019) Evaluation of four models for predicting thermal sensation in Chinese residential kitchen. In: E3S, Web of Conferences 111 (02004)02019 CLIMA 2019

Ravindraa K, Agarwala N, Kaur-Sidhua M, Morb S (2019) Appraisal of thermal comfort in rural household kitchens of Punjab, India and adaptation strategies for better health. Elsevier Publications, Environ Int 124:431–440

Wei P, Zhou B, Tan M, Li F, Lu J, Dong Z, Xu M, Wang G, Xiao Y (2017) Study on thermal comfort under non-uniform thermal environment condition in domestic kitchen. In: 10th International Symposium on Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, ISHVAC2017. Proc Eng 205:2041–2048

Livchak A, Derek S, Zeqiang S (2005) The effect of supply air systems on kitchen thermal environment. ASHRAE Trans 111(1)

Rupp RF, V´asquez NG, Lamberts R A review of human thermal comfort in the built environment. J Energy Build S0378–7788(15)30163–8

Lai C-M (2005) Assessment of side exhaust systems for residential kitchens in Taiwan. Build Serv Eng Res Technol 26(2):157–166

Luo M, Wang Z, Ke K, Cao B, Zhai Y, Zhou X Human metabolic rate and thermal comfort in buildings: the problem and challenges. J Build Environ S0360–1323 18 30005 30012

Hong SH, Lee JM, Moon JW, Lee KH (2018) Thermal comfort, energy and cost impacts of PMV control considering individual metabolic rate variations in residential building. Energies 11:1767. www.mdpi.com/journal/energies , doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/en11071767

Zhanga S, Cheng Y, Oladokuna MO, Wu Y, Lin Z (2020) Improving predicted mean vote with inversely determined metabolic rate. Elsevier Publications, Sustain Cities Soc 53:101870

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

School of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune, India

Saurabh P. Joshi & D. R. Waghole

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

I. A. Palani

National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India

Adhi College of Engineering and Technology, Kanchipuram, India

D. Palanisamy

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Cite this paper.

Joshi, S.P., Waghole, D.R. (2022). Investigations on Efficient Designs of Domestic Cooking Pots. In: Palani, I.A., Sathiya, P., Palanisamy, D. (eds) Recent Advances in Materials and Modern Manufacturing. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0244-4_96

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0244-4_96

Published : 27 May 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-19-0243-7

Online ISBN : 978-981-19-0244-4

eBook Packages : Engineering Engineering (R0)

Share this paper

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research