Correct Answer: (a) area of hole on the top and weight kept on it
Note: In a pressure cooker the food is cooked with the boiling of water. Boiling point is increased inside a pressure cooker by increasing the pressure. This pressure can be adjusted by changing the weight placed on the top of the cooker lid. The pressure (and cooking temperature) also depends upon area of the hole in the lid. The principle of pressure cooking is to maintain a temperature of about 120°C inside the cooker as opposed to a temperature of 100°C attained in open vessels. The weight is designed in such a way that it will kick when the pressure inside just exceeds about one atmospheric gauge thereby releasing the excess pressure. This is the pressure at which the boiling point is about 120°C. Once the requisite pressure and temperature is attained, more heat input (by increasing the temperature of the flame) results in more steam generated which is released through the lid and hence the cooking temperature remains the same, which is about 120°C. Thus, temperature at which the food is cooked does not depend upon temperature of the flame.