Water in the Microwave

Paradox · Post by **Paradox** » 06 Jan 2004, 15:54

I do not know the credibility of this, as I got it in an e-mail. One of those "send to everyone you know" warnings, but I thought I'd post it here in case there is some validity.

QUOTE I was very glad to get this email from a friend, because I have been guilty of heating water in a microwave many times. You'll be glad you read it. I also suggest passing it along to friends and family.
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 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 may also have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was tending 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 vapour 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.[/quote]

EDIT: Probable cause, someone posted this on the AAO forums:
QUOTE They had a thing about this on Mythbusters. Tap water will never do that, because it always boils. The only way it can happen is if you have distilled water, which won't boil because it has no minerals etc. in it and it becomes superheated. Then it can "blow up" when something touches it like a spoon. Since normal people don't drink distilled water, it's not really anything to worry about.[/quote]

Nagisa · Post by **Nagisa** » 06 Jan 2004, 16:09

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

Mmmm, Snopey goodness. /happy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="^_^" border="0" alt="happy.gif" />

Ms. DNA · Post by **Ms. DNA** » 06 Jan 2004, 17:01

Hmm....I've never known water to do that but my mom stuck a piece of pizza in the microwave yesterday to heat it up for FIVE MINUTES and about burnt the house down....! FIVE MINUTES! YIKES!! /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" />

Ms. DNA's Safety Tip for Heating Pizza in the Microwave: 45 seconds to 1 minute will do it.

beeurd · Post by **beeurd** » 06 Jan 2004, 19:15

My sister stuck a mince pie in the microwave the other day and it totally blew apart and splattered all over the inside. lol

Was quite funny. Especially since she had to clean it up /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

Ms. DNA · Post by **Ms. DNA** » 06 Jan 2004, 19:38

Yuck, that pizza my mom burnt stunk up the house for hours. And it got all stuck to the plate, EEEEW!

Hey, my sister says if you put two Peeps in a microwave and stick toothpicks in them like swords, they will swell and stab one another! HAHA!

Chiara · Post by **Chiara** » 06 Jan 2004, 20:45

it also depends on the cup he used. . .
certain dishes and cups heat up quicker and crack due to what they are made of
but maybe that changed cause we got alot of old dishware handed down from. . .god only knows where. . .

Alexander · Post by **Alexander** » 06 Jan 2004, 21:31

Distilled water is the only dangerous type of water in a microwave. MythBusters owns you.

Nagisa · Post by **Nagisa** » 06 Jan 2004, 21:35

Alexander wrote:MythBusters owns you.

I love that show. /happy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="^_^" border="0" alt="happy.gif" />

Alexander · Post by **Alexander** » 06 Jan 2004, 21:49

I watched the marathon on New Year's, it was cool.

Cody the Raptor · Post by **Cody the Raptor** » 07 Jan 2004, 05:52

Damn you guys beat me to the mythbusters explanation*i love that show along with monster garage and american chopper*. Also you can't BURN anything in a microwave because there is no actual heat, what is happening is the 'microwaves' cause the water atoms in the food to vibrate like a *dildo* and thus causing friction which DUH causes heat lol