Why does a greater amount of steam rise when you turn DOWN the heat?

Question

When boiling food, how come there seems to be more steam when you turn the heat down to a simmer than when it is in full boil? Is it because the boiling liquid is too busy cycling in the pot to be able to break away and when the heat is lowered the heated water can follow its nature and the excessive heat is allowed to rise, take water droplets with it and thus steam billows out?

Just wondering about the physics of it all. I shall now go scrape the overcooked food from the bottom of the waterless pot...

Answer 1

I have never observed this phenomenon, but as you mention it, it does make sense.

What you SEE is not steam but condensing steam i.e. steam lowering in temperature and becoming airborne water droplets. true steam is in fact invisible, which is why steam burns come when you least expect them!

If you lower the temperature then the energy available is reduced thus the steam condenses more rapidly ie. closer to the pot - a process which would take place at the higher temp farther away and after more diffusion in the kitchen.

Answer 2

I am not an expert in physics but anyway, I assume it must be because of the cynetic energy in the bubbles. They molecules will keep moving at high speed and keeping the high temperature for a longer time, so it will not go down drastically as the heat does. Again, it is just my reasoning.

Answer 3

You're pretty close. I found a link that might explain it for you!