**Ask a monkey a physics question thread**

[OngBonga]

I guess the temperature of the molecule that boiled was 100 degrees, but the average temperature of the entire mass is marginally less. Or maybe something to do with not being at exactly sea level, thus lowering the boiling point of water fractionally below 100 degrees. I won't add more because it probably annoys mojo when I butt in! It would annoy me! I just can't help myself though...

[Poopadoop]

Well it's a chemistry question so probably he won't mind too much.

The water isn't going to uniformly heat. The part near the heating element is going to heat first and it will travel through the rest by convection/contact whatever heat travels by. I mean if a volcano goes off under the sea, part of the sea near the volcano can boil but obviously the whole ocean isn't 100C.

[Poopadoop]

Also if I'm not mistaken that's why the bubbles start at the bottom of a pot of boiling water, because that's where the heat's being applied.

Unless I completely misunderstood the question.