What happens to the boiling point of water when pressure increases?

When pressure increases, the boiling point of water also increases. This relationship is rooted in the principles of thermodynamics and the properties of liquids.

At a higher pressure, the molecules within a liquid are subjected to greater force, which means that they require more energy (heat) to break free from the liquid state and enter the vapor state. Therefore, as pressure rises, the boiling point must also rise in order for water to reach the point where it can effectively change from liquid to vapor. This phenomenon is commonly utilized in various industrial applications, such as pressure cookers and boilers, where cooking or heating under pressure allows liquids to reach higher temperatures than they would at standard atmospheric pressure, facilitating faster cooking or efficiency in energy use.

In contrast, if pressure were to decrease, the boiling point would lower, which is why water can boil at lower temperatures at high altitudes where atmospheric pressure is reduced. Fluctuations in boiling points are not typical under normal, controlled conditions; rather, it's the consistent relationship between pressure and boiling point that defines their behavior.