Question

why does pasta take longer to cook in boling water elevations above sea level

Answer 1

as you go higher in altitude the boiling point, or rather the temperature that water begins to boil at decreases. so if you're at a higher altitude boiling water isn't as hot as it is at sea level. but it's still HOT and really the times would be small anyway. so pasta is boiling at a lower temperature increasing the time pasta needs to be fully cooked. this is so because, if i remember correctly, the atmospheric pressure is lower which allows the water to change from a liquid to a gas. lower pressure, lower activation energy. lower activation energy, lower temperature to cause the water to undergo a phase change. this is just from what i remember so maybe getting another person's input would help. i could be very wrong.