eli5: how do pressure cookers get food cooked more quickly in a way that simply using a higher heat does not?

Question

obviously cooking on very high heat is faster but it wouldn’t mean you could have a huge hunk of meat nice and tender in a couple hours. but why. i don’t even understand enough to know if i chose the right flair.

In: 2

Answer 1

So an ELI5 asnwer.
-Water at regular sea level pressure boils at 100°C.

-Now take that same pot to the top of Mount Everest where there is less air pressure the water boils at a lower temp than 100°C. Maybe 90°C (I dont know)

-Now close the pot and increase the pressure and the water boils at a higher temp than 100°C.

-Boiling your pot of water in your kitchen at the maximum temp that your cooktop allows does not boil the water any hotter than 100°C, it only brings the water to a 100°C, faster, then it stays at 100°C.
The only difference is that you are wasting energy.