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<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Lucida Sans" color=#000080
size=3></FONT></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Lucida Sans" color=#000080 size=3>don't have to
open the attachment. message is in the body of the
email.</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Lucida Sans" color=#000080 size=3>thought this
interesting.</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Lucida Sans" color=#000080
size=3>judy</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Lucida Sans" color=#000080
size=3></FONT></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 03, 2005 12:03 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> MICROWAVE, WHAT CAN HAPPEN/water in coffee cup severely
burned man's face.</DIV></DIV>
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2><BR>><BR>> >Microwaving Water!<BR>><BR>>
><BR>><BR>> >(I did not know this, did you?)<BR>><BR>>
><BR>><BR>> >A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee. He
took a cup of <BR>> water<BR>><BR>> >and put it in the microwave to
heat it up (something that he had done<BR>><BR>> >numerous times
before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, <BR>> but
he<BR>><BR>> >wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut
the oven <BR>> off, he<BR>><BR>> >removed the cup from the oven. As
he looked into the cup, he noted <BR>> that the!<BR>><BR>> >water
was not boiling, but suddenly the water in the cup "blew up" <BR>> into
his<BR>><BR>> >face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of
his hand, but <BR>> all the<BR>><BR>> >water had flown out into his
face due to the build up of energy. His <BR>> whole<BR>><BR>> >face
is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face <BR>> which
may<BR>><BR>> >leave scarring.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>>
>He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the <BR>>
hospital,<BR>><BR>> >the doctor who was attending to him stated that
this is a fairly <BR>> common<BR>><BR>> >occurrence and water
(alone) should never be heated in a microwave <BR>> oven. If<BR>><BR>>
>water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup
<BR>> to<BR>><BR>> >diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick,
tea bag, etc., <BR>> (nothing<BR>><BR>> >metal).<BR>><BR>>
><BR>><BR>> >It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in
a tea kettle.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >General Electric's
Response:<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >Thanks for contacting us, I
will be happy to assist you. The e-mail <BR>> that you<BR>><BR>>
>received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always
<BR>> bubble<BR>><BR>> >when they reach the boiling point. They can
actually get superheated <BR>> and not<BR>><BR>> >bubble at all. The
superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup <BR>> when
it<BR>><BR>> >is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put
into it.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >To prevent this from happening
and causing injury, do not heat any <BR>> liquid<BR>><BR>> >for more
than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand <BR>> in
the<BR>><BR>> >microwave for thirty seconds! before moving it or adding
anything <BR>> into it.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >Here is what
our local science teacher had to say on the matter: <BR>> "Thanks
for<BR>><BR>> >the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before.
It is caused <BR>> by a<BR>><BR>> >phenomenon known as super
heating. It can occur anytime water is <BR>> heated and<BR>><BR>>
>will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is
<BR>> new, or<BR>><BR>> >when heating a small amount of water (less
than half a cup).<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >What happens is that
the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles <BR>> can form.<BR>><BR>>
>If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface <BR>>
scratches<BR>><BR>> >inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to
form. As the bubbles<BR>><BR>> >cannot form and release some of the
heat has built up, the liquid <BR>> does not<BR>><BR>> >boil, and
the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point.<BR>><BR>>
><BR>><BR>> >What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped
or jarred, <BR>> which is<BR>><BR>> >just enough of a shock to cause
the bubbles to rapidly form and expel <BR>> the<BR>><BR>> >hot
liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated <BR>>
beverage<BR>><BR>> >spews when opened after having been
shaken."<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >If you pass this on you could
very well save someone from a lot of <BR>> pain and<BR>><BR>>
>suffering.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> >Thank You Very
Much.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>>
>.<BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>> ><BR>><BR>>
><BR>><BR><BR><BR></FONT></DIV></DIV>
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