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My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g!. In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now your primary question: those noodles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when cooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction velocity to half the value at 100°C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction).

Thermal conductivity: most amorph solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: Wiedemann Franz Lorenz Thermal conductivity of gases can be calculated by kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius Maxwell and Bolzmann.

My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g! In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now your primary question: those noodles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when cooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction rate to half the value at 100°C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction).

Thermal conductivity: most amorphous solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: Wiedemann Franz Lorenz. Thermal conductivity of gases can be calculated using kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius, Maxwell and Boltzmann.

My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g!. In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now Your primary question: Those noodeles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when kooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction velocity to half the value at 100 °C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction)

Thermal conductivity: most amorph solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: "Wiedemann Franz Lorenz" Thermal conductivity of gases can be calculated by kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius Maxwell and Bolzmann.

Georg

My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g!. In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now your primary question: those noodles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when cooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction velocity to half the value at 100°C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction).

Thermal conductivity: most amorph solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: Wiedemann Franz Lorenz Thermal conductivity of gases can be calculated by kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius Maxwell and Bolzmann.

My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g!. In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now Your primary question: Those noodeles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when kooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction velocity to half the value at 100 °C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction)

Thermal conductivity: most amorph solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: "Wiedemann Franz Lorenz" Thermal conductivity of gases an be calculated by kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius Maxwell and Bolzmann.

Georg

My instinct would be that food will cook quicker just before the water starts boiling because steam conducts heat slower than water and so when the food is in contact with the steam bubbles it receives less thermal energy.

This is absolutely the opposite of reality! A steam bubble in contact with a body with a temperature less than 100°C will condense on this body, transferring about 540 cal/g!. In fact heating a wall by condensing steam is one of the most efficient heat transfer methods.

But now Your primary question: Those noodeles "cook" faster where they experience the higher temperature. In a pot on a fire, the surface of the water will be as low as maybe 80 or 90 degrees, when bubbles raise at the bottom, but do not reach the surface yet. (Again here: heat transfer by bubble evaporation is extremely fast, same reasons as for condensation) 10 or 20 °C less are a lot when kooking noodles (wheat starch) this may lower the reaction velocity to half the value at 100 °C, or even lower (rule of thumb for such reaction)

Thermal conductivity: most amorph solids/liquids have similar, low heat conduction. Crystalline solids are medium, metals are much higher, the thermal conductivity being related to the electrical conductivity. Google for: "Wiedemann Franz Lorenz" Thermal conductivity of gases can be calculated by kinetic gas theory, this was "triumph" for Clausius Maxwell and Bolzmann.

Georg