Re: heating water in microwave

[Guest guest]

Greetings Ann!

Thanks for the warning, but this is not at all likely to happen. You

actually have a better chance of being struck by lightening or winning the

lottery than having this occur. See the following Urban Legend page:

http://www.snopes2.com/science/microwav.htm

It can happen, but is so very unlikely, you don't need to worry about it.

However, if you want to waste the effort and you are the very anxious type,

just stick a small wooden spoon in the cup before you microwave the water to

keep this from happening.

Regards,

=jbf=

B. Fisher

[Guest guest]

One thing you sure do not want to do is warm a baby bottle full of formula

in the microwave. The liquid gets hotter than the container and can really

hurt a little person.

The

birds will need their umbrellas tomorrow.

Good night all. Rest easy. I am going to listen to the rain fall on

my roof. Will have to wade in it in the morning to get into the church.

Barb

--

"It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for

only the

pure in heart want to." --C. S.

[Guest guest]

Nan and all,

It is extremely doubtful that this would happen with tap water. While this has

happened in labs where they are using distilled deionized water in perfectly

clean beakers, there are no reports of hospital treatment of people it happened

to outside a lab. They do sell marbles to put in the cup since this came out, a

mable in the cup will stop it from happening, as will a plastic or wood spoon; a

tiny bit of salt or sugar; or any other contaminate. Anything that will allow a

bubble to form will allow it to boil normally. P.S. in theory it can happen in

any pot with any even heating method. I have seen it happen in a beaker heated

with a bunsen burner using triple distilled deionized water.

Take care, and don't believe email chain letters. Not even the one about Bush

having the lowest IQ of any president.

Bill Werre

[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.

[Guest guest]

While it is unlikely that the water will explode, there was a story on this

within the last few months on one of the news magazine shows. I don't

remember if it was 20/20 or Primetime, but I saw the piece, and they had a

number of interviews with people who were burned by this phenomenon. They

even demonstrated the blow up on the show. I know that these news shows

sensationalize many of the stories that they do, because this piece had

victims, it was quite believable. I've become much more cautious about

heating water alone in the microwave.

Hugs to all,

Nan

RE: heating water in microwave

Greetings Ann!

Thanks for the warning, but this is not at all likely to happen. You

actually have a better chance of being struck by lightening or winning the

lottery than having this occur. See the following Urban Legend page:

http://www.snopes2.com/science/microwav.htm

It can happen, but is so very unlikely, you don't need to worry about it.

However, if you want to waste the effort and you are the very anxious type,

just stick a small wooden spoon in the cup before you microwave the water to

keep this from happening.

Regards,

=jbf=

B. Fisher

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