Re: why do powders dissolve faster in boiling water?

AJ this is a really good question. As it turns out it has a very simple answer (actually several of them).

1. Most chemical processes and many physical processes go faster at higher temperatures. The simple reason is that processes often need a little bit of energy to get them going properly, and there is more energy around at higher temperatures.

2. Most solid substances that dissolve in water (not all) are much more soluble in hot water than in cold water. That means that a larger proportion will dissolve. If you dissolve as much of a substance as you can in cold water and heat it up, you will usually find that you can get more to dissolve. If you dissolve as much as you can in hot water and let it cool, you will usually find that some of it will come out of solution as crystals.

3. Stirring will help anything to dissolve. If your water is actually boiling, it will do its own stirring very efficiently!