Question

Water boils at sea level at 100°C. The boiling point of water decreases about 5°C for every mile above sea level. Santa Fe, New Mexico is at 7200 feet above sea level. At about what temperature does water boil in Santa Fe? (hint: 1 mi = 5280 feet).

Answer 1

First lets convert feet to miles: if 1 mi = 5280 feet then 7200 feet / 5280 feet = 1.364 miles. Now we need to see how much degrees does the boiling point for water decreases: if 1 mile = 5 degrees Celsius, then 0.364 miles correspond to 0.364*5=1.82 degrees Celsius. So now we add the two values: 5+1.82 = 6.82 degrees Celsius. Now we find the decrease in the boiling point of water: 100-6.82 = 93.18 degrees Celsius. So at 7200 feet above sea level, in Santa Fe, the water boils at 93.18 degrees Celsius.