* Boiling Point Elevation: Adding a solute (like salt) to a solvent (like water) disrupts the normal equilibrium between liquid and vapor phases. It becomes harder for water molecules to escape into the air as vapor, requiring a higher temperature to achieve boiling.

* Colligative Property: Boiling point elevation is a colligative property, meaning it depends only on the concentration of solute particles, not their specific identity.

Important Note: The increase in boiling point is relatively small for typical salt concentrations used in cooking. It's not a dramatic effect, but it is measurable.