Cooking in High Altitudes

Cooking in High Altitudes

(and how it relates to gas laws)

In Conclusion

When you get to higher altitudes, either increase the temperature you cook at or wait the longer period of time to allow food to cook.

Be safe with how high of an altitude you travel up to.

Most boxes or packaged foods have special instructions for cooking in higher altitudes so follow them.

:)

Sources:

"Cooking at Altitude." Cooking at Altitude. Kiwi Web, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <http://www.chemistry.co.nz/cooking_altitudes.htm>.

Crocker, Betty. "Baking and Cooking at High Altitudes." Bettycrocker.com. General Mills, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes>.

Smith, C. W. "Combined Gas Law and Altitude." Combined Gas Law and Altitude (2014): 1-5. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <http://www.phs.d211.org/science/smithcw/Chemistry%20332/Quarter%204%20Unit%201/5%20Combined%20Gas%20Law.pdf>.

VSauce. "(untitled)." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2016. <https://www.you tube.com/watch?v=K93zcgFsynk>.

Information on the Atmosphere

• On Earth: 1cm^3 = 10^19 molecules
• Man-made vacuum: 1cm^3 = 100 molecules
• In between our planets: 1cm^3 = 10 molecules
• In between our stars: 1cm^3 = 1 molecule
• In between our galaxies: 1m^3 = 1 molecule

• There is a never a space with no molecules, no atmosphere, no temperature, no volume, no anything... there is never a nothing.

• But because of the extremes of space, we can only function (and cook) until a certain point in our atmosphere known as Armstrong's Limit.

Armstrong's Limit

Elevation: 19,000m (11.806 miles)

Since we know that at higher altitudes, liquids boil at lower temperatures- Armstrong's limit is the point where blood boils at body temperature.

(VERY DANGEROUS)

Betty Crocker's Tips for Cooking:

1. Air pressure is lower, so foods take longer to cook. Temperatures and/or cook times may need to be increased.

2. Water boils at a lower temperature, so foods prepared with water (such as pastas and soups) may take longer to cook. Temperatures and cook times may need to be increased.

Betty Crocker's Tips for Baking:

1. Air pressure is lower, so foods take longer to bake. Temperatures and/or bake times may need to be increased.

2. Liquids evaporate faster, so amounts of flour, sugar and liquids may need to be changed to prevent batter that is too moist, dry or gummy.

3. Gases expand more, so doughs rise faster. Leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder) may need to be decreased. Doughs may need shorter rising times and may need to be “punched down” (deflated) twice during the rising process.

Why does it matter?

When cooking in higher altitudes, the air pressure is reduced so temperature (or time) must be changed for food to be prepared and cooked properly and thoroughly.

Gas Laws

The two main gas laws applied to this topic are:

• Boyle's Law and,
• Combined Gas Law.

Combined Gas Laws

Boyle's Law

• Formula: P1 V1 T2 = P2 V2 T1

• If we are to cook something at a lower pressure, the temperature increase, and the volume of the air (since it increases as pressure decreases) and use the same variables at sea level (or close to the level where we live)- plugging the appropriate variables into both sides would be equivalent resulting in properly, thoroughly cooked food.

• Formula: P1 V1 = P2 V2

• If we were to cook the same food at the same temperature in two different altitudes, we would be able to figure that the volumes of the air are different and this would cause the food at the higher altitude to take longer to cook.

SYDNEY WALKER