When the unfortunate body in the email removed the cup, some
disturbance allowed a steam bubble to form once the process started
the whole volume which was above boiling point boiled in an instant.
In class whenever we were boiling stuff in smooth laboritory
containers, we had to add boiling chips (usually grit or broken
glass) to guard against this happening.
Hmm.. I wonder if this is what happen with Dr. X and the standing
waves in water, there was mention of adjusting the frequency to
compensate for evaporation so we can take it the water was being
heated.
BFN
Pete
> From: Newphys@aol.com
> Date sent: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 00:16:55 EST
> Subject: Fact or Fiction
> To: Interact@Keelynet.com
> I received the folowing message and I was wondering..... Is this even
> remotely possible and if it is..... Why? Could this actually have a
> legitimate use if the results were consistant and reproducible. Seems that I
> recall someone exploding droplets of water using microwaves to run a small
> engine.
>
> Newphys
>
> Original Message Follows
>
> ****************************************************
> Here is the safety item that we talked about. It may save someone's
> face/eyes/life.
>
> Thank You,
>
> Susan Bachar
>
> This is a TRUE story. Never knew this and I have boiled water many, many
> times in the microwave.
>
> PLEASE pass this on to everyone that you know. It may save their face/life.
>
> Subject: SAFETY ALERT: BOILING WATER
>
> > Microwaving Water to Heat it Up
> >
> > I feel that the following is information that any one who uses a microwave
> > oven to heat water should be made aware of. 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 but 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 flew 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 also may have lost partial sight in his left eye.
> > While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that
> this 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. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a tea kettle.
> > Please pass this information on to friends and family.
> ***********************
>
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