Re: heating water in microwave

[Guest guest]

Ann,

I am so glad I don't like hot drinks!

God Bless,

Belinda

> Subject: HEATING WATER in MICROWAVE (not a joke)]

>

>

> PLEASE READ

>

> I was very glad to get this e-mail from a friend, because I have

been

> guilty of heating water in a microwave many times. Back when I

used to

> work, prior to retirement, rather than keep a pot of coffee going

all

> day, I would heat a cup of water and then add a spoonful of instant

> coffee. On several occasions the water would boil over very

violently

> when I added the coffee. Not as violently as the incident below,

but I

> have no doubt that it can happen. So read and heed.

>

>

>

>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++

> About five days ago, my 26-year-old son decided to have a cup of

instant

> coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat

it up

> (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure

how

> long he set the timer for but he told me he wanted to bring the

water to

> a boil.

>

> When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven.

As

> he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling.

> Then instantly the water in the cup " blew up " into his face.

>

> The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all

the

> water had flown out into his face due to the buildup of energy. His

> whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his

face,

> which may leave scarring. He may also have lost partial sight in

his

> left eye.

>

> While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated

that

> this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never

be

> heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner,

something

> such as a wooden stir stick or a tea bag should be placed in the

cup to

> diffuse the energy.

>

> Here is what our science teacher has to say on the matter:

>

> " Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before.

It is

> caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur any

time

> water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the

water

> is heated in is new.

>

> What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles

can

> form. If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small

surface

> scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form.

As the

> bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat that has built up,

the

> liquid does not boil, and the liquid continues to heat up well past

its

> boiling point. What then usually happens is that the liquid is

bumped or

> jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to

rapidly

> form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is

also

> why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been

shaken.

>

> Please pass this on to everyone you know, it could save a lot of

pain

> and suffering.