Answer to Question #131822 in General Chemistry for Daejah

Question

With more families cooking from home, 3 engineers took it upon themselves to design pressure cookers to help speed up the cooking process of food. Pressure cookers are simple in theory—they use a clamped lid to trap boiling liquids (100C) and increase the internal pressure and temperature of the system. This allows food to be cooked faster and at higher temperatures. Importantly, pressure cookers come with a pressure gauge, to monitor pressure and a release valve if pressures increase too much. Make a claim about which scientist has developed the most effective and safe design. Include evidence from the figures and make references to thermodynamics and gas laws in your response.

Answer 1

The trapped steam increases the atmospheric Pressure inside the cooker by 15 pounds per square inch (psi), or 15 pounds above normal sea-level pressure . At that pressure , the boiling point of water is increased from 212°F to 250°F. This higher temperature is what cooks food faster.

The higher temperature of boiling water under pressure cooks the food faster . The tight lid holds pressurized water vapor above the water surface, inhibiting boiling. Water must boil at a higher temperature, increased boiling point.