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Caution on Heating Water in the Microwave!!!!

I DO THIS ALL THE TIME AND NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS

COULD HAPPEN

BENNIE

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 time 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 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 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 vapor bubbles can form. If the

cup is very

new then! it is unlikely to have small surface

scratches inside I! t

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.

Most everyone heats water in the microwave. Please

pass this on

to everyone you know, it could save a lot of pain and

suffering.