can plain tap water boil over, or does it require the presence of other substances to make it boil over?

Question

This is to settle a bet; its important that I win.

I just told "her" that I wrote it was "to settle a bet." She replied "Its not a bet, I'm just right."

Please save me from this.

Answer 1

Regular tap water can indeed boil over. Try it, it works everytime.

Answer 2

All water will boil over if you heat it high enough and the pan is full enough. The "boiling over" you see most though is due to proteins and stuff in the water that increase the surface tension and makes large bubbles. If you add oil to this, the tension drops and bubbles burst and the pan won't overflow.

The second, more dangerous boil over is when you microwave water at high setting and there are no scratches or other stuff in the container. The water can becomr "super heated" meaning it is hotter than boiling, but hasn't started to boil. When this happens, if you try to move the vessel or put something in it, the steam bubbles form and it blows out the top scalding you badly unless you are very lucky. (that is why it is safest to put a chopstick or part of a wood skewer in water you are heating in the microwave.

Answer 3

At 1atm of pressure (sea level), water will boil at approxametly 212 F (100C, 373K). If you said that it can boil over, what you need to do is fill up your pot full of water and heat it 'til it starts to boil. If you said that water can't boil over, then put just a bit of water in the pot and do the same thing.

Answer 4

Water can boil over. It needs something to make it boil over. Like pasta or something.

Answer 5

yes plain tap water can boil over... and water boils and 212 degrees.

Answer 6

Plain tap water can boil over with nothing else in it!


YOU WIN!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Yes just add a kettle or a stove