my probably flawed guess:

it's not the temperature per se that causes the water to boil. It is
actually the vapour energy of the water molecules vs the atmospheric
pressure. At sea level, it gets converted to gas through high temperatures
b/c we have higher pressure down here and thus the water molecules need more
energy to escape. Remember that water molecules always have kinetic energy
(which is probably what i'm referring to as vapour energy) and pressure of a
container always works against this energy.

just my $0.02 worth of what i remember from high school. Come to think of
it, thats probably all its worth

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Hi.

I understand if an open container of water is taken up to altitude
high enough, that it will boil away.

I take that to indicate when water is brought to a boil on our stove,
at sea level, that the heat actually activates or motivates the water
molecules to begin going crazy and rubbing against each other, and
creating the vapor which must escape.

But if one were to take that open, cold pot of watet to a given point
above the earth's atmosphere, would the water get hot, as it would on
the stove, while it boils away?

Thanks,
Jim