I brought water in a cup to a boil in a microwave, then pour granulated sugar in to it. (It's to make a solution for hummingbird feeders.) The water, lightly boiling when removed from the microwave, violently churns when I slowly pour granulated white sugar into it.
Am I right in assuming this effect is due to the water being superheated, and the sudden disruption of the sugar being added causes the bulk of the water to boil? Is it air being purged out between the small crystals of the sugar, since the vapor pressure of the water is above the partial pressure of the air? Or something else? Or a combination of effects?
2006-06-30
10:22:36
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13 answers
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asked by
techyphilosopher2
4
in
Physics