Frostbite Theater

Announcer: Frostbite Theater presents... Cold Cuts! No baloney!

Joanna and Steve: Just science!

Joanna: Hi! I'm Joanna!

Steve: And I'm Steve!

Joanna: Here's a question for you...

Steve: A pot of water is placed on a stove.

Joanna: The stove's burner is adjusted so the water is boiling gently.

Steve: Then, burner is adjusted so the water boils rapidly.

Joanna: When is the water's temperature the greatest?

When the water's boiling gently?

Steve: When the water's boiling rapidly?

Joanna: Is it basically a tie?

Steve: Or, does it not matter because water can't boil.

Joanna: Pause the video now if you'd like to think it over before we show you what happens.

Joanna: Whether it's boiling gently or rapidly, water boils at its boiling point, which is 100°C at 1 atmosphere of pressure.

Steve: Now, you may have noticed our thermometer didn't actually read 100 degrees. They're a few reasons for this.

Joanna: First, the water was tap water, so it isn't exactly pure.

Steve: Second, as Joanna alluded to, the boiling point depends on the pressure. If the atmospheric pressure was a bit little lower than standard, then the boiling point's going to be a little bit lower.

Joanna: And, third, the thermometer might not have been calibrated correctly.

Steve: But, either way, it at least showed a consistent temperature, even if it wasn't exactly 100 degrees.

Joanna: Thanks for watching. I hope you'll join us again soon for another question!