Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Sealed steam pushes the boiling point up, so food cooks far faster. The figure is taken from Exploratorium, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a food fact?

Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Pressure cookers raise water's boiling point

Sealed steam pushes the boiling point up, so food cooks far faster A pressure cooker traps steam, raising the internal pressure to roughly two atmospheres and pushing water's boiling point to about 120 degrees Celsius. Reactions that would take hours at 100 degrees, such as softening collagen in tough cuts, happen in a fraction of the time. The same principle explains why cooking times differ at high altitude, where the boiling point falls. It sits in Mondo's food collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Exploratorium

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

Science trivia

More facts like this

Skin loses collagen and elasticity with ageCollagen production in the dermis falls while existing fibres become fragmented Steam carries much more heat than airCondensing steam releases energy that hot dry air simply does not have Escalating steam prevents oil penetration during fryingRapid water evaporation creates outward pressure that keeps oil on food surfaces Microwaves heat food by agitating waterThe oven flips polar molecules back and forth, and friction does the rest Poaching happens below a simmerThe liquid stays near 80 degrees, with only small bubbles forming Wok hei needs a scorching hot panThe aroma comes from fat and food hitting metal far above boiling

Tags: pressure-cooking, physics, collagen

Pressure cookers raise water's boiling point: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Sealed steam pushes the boiling point up, so food cooks far faster. The figure is taken from Exploratorium, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a food fact?: Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.