[ SHOWGSD-L ] heating eating water in a microwave oven
- From: Peggy <pmick@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: showgsd <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:33:20 -0500
I've checked this out on the Snopes site...it's true. There are a few
considerations, which you can check for yourselves at the site...
http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp
However...this time of year we are usually pressed for time, and if you
think you might use your microwave oven to heat up some water, this is a
good thing to know. It could splash onto you OR onto your dogs, so it
is (kind of) dog related...
Peggy
>
> A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of 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 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, but suddenly 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 build up of energy. His whole face is blistered and he
> has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring.
>
> He also may 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 should be
> placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick,
> tea bag, etc., (nothing metal).
>
> It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a tea kettle.
>
> General Electric's Response:
>
> Thanks for contacting us, I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail
> that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do
> not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually
> get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will
> bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a
> spoon or tea bag is put into it.
>
> To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any
> liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup
> stand in the microwave for thirty seconds! before moving it or adding
> anything into it.
>
> Here is what our local science teacher had 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 anytime
> water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the
> water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water
> (less than half a cup).
>
> 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 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."
>
> If you pass this on you could very well save someone from a lot of
> pain and suffering
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