[Chat] Fw: MICROWAVE, WHAT CAN HAPPEN/water in coffee cup severely burned man's face.

[jdy]

don't have to open the attachment. message is in the body of the email.
thought this interesting.
judy

----- Original Message ----- 
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 12:03 AM
Subject: MICROWAVE, WHAT CAN HAPPEN/water in coffee cup severely burned man's face.



>
> >Microwaving Water!
>
> >
>
> >(I did not know this, did you?)
>
> >
>
> >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.
>
> >
>
> >Thank You Very Much.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>



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