The boiling temperature of water varies with altitude, which means that eggs cannot be cooked thoroughly on the 8,849 m high peak of Mount Everest. At sea level, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, but as altitude increases, the boiling point decreases. For every 300 m increase in altitude, the boiling temperature drops by one degree Celsius.
This phenomenon affects not only egg cooking but also food and drink preparation worldwide. For example, water boils at 82.8 degrees Celsius in La Rinconada, Peru, where the altitude is just 5.52 m above sea level. At the summit of Mount Everest, however, which stands at an impressive 8,849 m above sea level and experiences reduced air pressure, the boiling temperature drops to a mere 68 degrees Celsius.
This is not enough to fully cook an egg due to the different coagulation temperatures of egg white and yolk proteins. The egg white needs to reach a minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius while the yolk needs to reach at least 70 degrees Celsius to firm up properly. Boiling eggs at high altitudes like Mount Everest requires a pressure cooker to increase the boiling point by increasing pressure inside the pot.
While this may not seem like a pressing issue for most people, it highlights how important thermodynamics are in our daily lives and how they can impact everything from food preparation to scientific research.