Why cover a pot when cooking?!

Why cover a pot when cooking?

I buy lots of prepared rice/noodle foods. They all have me cook with a covered pot. If the reason is too keep in more water, can't I just add more water instead? When my lid has a hole in it to let out steam, does the pressure actually increase significantly enough to raise the boiling point of water?

22 hours ago
Also, when I say "add water" I mean at the beginning when I first start cooking. The directions tell me to cook 10 minutes covered. Now, instead of covering the pot, I add a third more water at the beginning and keep it uncovered. Do I end up with a result that tastes the same?

In a regular pot it's not a pressure difference, that's only for pressure cookers which have a lock down lid.

Basically if you cover it it's better because your food, rice for example, won't dry out in between.

If you let it evaporate your rice sits in less and less water, so some will dry while other will be moist. If you cover it it stays moist throughout.

So basically it prevents them drying out.

Try making risotto though, it asks you to add water little by little, and you can cook uncovered.