At what temperature does water boil?

Water boils at 212°F at standard atmospheric pressure, which is typically defined as sea level (1 atmosphere). This temperature is a well-known physical property of water and is categorized as the boiling point. At this temperature, the vapor pressure of the water equals the atmospheric pressure, allowing bubbles of vapor to form within the liquid and rise to the surface.

Factors such as altitude can affect the boiling point, causing it to decrease at higher elevations due to the lower atmospheric pressure. However, at sea level, 212°F is universally accepted as the boiling point of water. This fundamental concept is crucial not only in everyday tasks such as cooking but also in many scientific applications, such as understanding phase changes in thermodynamics. Understanding the boiling point is essential for anyone involved in plumbing or heating applications, as it impacts various systems that rely on the heating and movement of water.