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    kmck99's Avatar
    kmck99 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 8, 2008, 03:51 PM
    Why is steam more dangerous than boiling water at same temperature
    Why is steam more dangerous than boiling water at same temperature
    TinTinTinTin's Avatar
    TinTinTinTin Posts: 5, Reputation: 4
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    #2

    Nov 8, 2008, 04:59 PM

    I believe the answer is because of states of matter. Since boiling water is a liquid and steam is a gas, it contains more kinetic energy and a higher temperature then?

    I am not sure on this one so if anyone can post a reply, it'll be helpful
    Capuchin's Avatar
    Capuchin Posts: 5,255, Reputation: 656
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    #3

    Nov 8, 2008, 05:09 PM

    Look up latent heat of evaporation - once you heat water to 100 dec C, you then have to put even more energy into it to change it into steam - this energy doesn't raise the temperature, but goes into changing the state from liquid to gas.

    This means that, even though the steam and water are the same temperature, steam burns more because each steam molecule has more energy (on average) than a corresponding water one.

    Hope that helps. Please ask if you have any questions.
    harum's Avatar
    harum Posts: 339, Reputation: 27
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    #4

    Nov 13, 2008, 11:03 PM

    The steam is more dangerous is because on the contact with relatively cold skin (37 deg C) the steam (100 deg C) condenses into 100 deg C water. This means that you not only get burned by the hot water formed from the steam, but also by the heat release in the process of turning 100 deg C steam into 100 deg C water. Yes, a lot of heat is released during this process, and equal amount of heat is required to turn 100 deg C water into 100 deg C steam. Even though there is no change in the temperature during boiling, significant energy is required to break bonds holding water molecules together and release them into the air as steam.
    rrjoshichem's Avatar
    rrjoshichem Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Sep 12, 2009, 11:41 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by TinTinTinTin View Post
    I believe the answer is because of states of matter. Since boiling water is a liquid and steam is a gas, it contains more kinetic energy and a higher temperature then?

    I am not sure on this one so if anyone can post a reply, it'll be helpful
    Steam is more dengerous because steam has additional energy, that is latent heat of energy. The latent heat energy of steam is 570k.cal/mol. That's why at the same temperature steam is more dengerous than water.
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