why does water boil at half the heat of olive oil?
Water boils at a lower temperature than olive oil because it has a lower boiling point. The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
The molecular structure and intermolecular forces of a substance determine its boiling point. Water (H2O) has relatively strong hydrogen bonding between its molecules, which results in increased intermolecular forces. These hydrogen bonds need to be broken in order for water to change from a liquid to a gas (vapor). Breaking these bonds requires a significant amount of energy, which raises the boiling point of water.
On the other hand, olive oil is primarily composed of various types of fatty acids. These fatty acids do not have strong intermolecular forces or hydrogen bonding, which makes it easier for the oil molecules to move apart and escape into the gas phase. As a result, olive oil has a higher boiling point compared to water.
In summary, water boils at a lower temperature than olive oil due to the presence of stronger intermolecular forces, namely hydrogen bonding, within the water molecules.