Boiling

science · heat · states of matter

Heat makes bubbles. When you heat liquid like water, the molecules move faster and faster. Eventually they have so much energy that they escape the liquid as gas bubbles that rush to the surface.

Temperature matters most. Every liquid has its own special boiling point, the exact temperature where boiling starts. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, but other liquids like alcohol boil at different temperatures.

Pressure plays a role. Boiling happens when the push from gas bubbles inside the liquid equals the push from air pressure on top. High up in mountains where the air is thinner, water boils at a lower temperature.

Opposite of condensation. Boiling turns liquid into gas, but condensation does the reverse, turning gas back into liquid. Both are just water changing forms.

Different from evaporation. Boiling and evaporation both turn liquid into gas, but boiling is fast and violent with bubbles, while evaporation is slow and quiet from the surface.