2007-03-22 07:35:07 · 9 answers · asked by sasuke 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
In short, steam is a poor cuonductor of electricity due to the fact that it has few ions. Water as a liquid is a much better conductor because there are frequently many dissolved compounds that form ions. Steam is basically just water that is vaporized into a gaseous state. Water (H2O) is electrically neutral (has no charge). In order to conduct electricity you have to have a way to pass ions, and to do this you have to have something that has a charge. Water has a somewhat weak bond so will frequently dissociate into H+ and OH- ions, but in a gaseous state these are frequently snapped up by other ions.
2007-03-22 07:53:07 · answer #1 · answered by ftn_nuke 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Water is not a good conductor of electricity if it is pure
i.e.disstilled from steam so steam will not conduct electricity.
.In fact water is an insulator it is the impurity's that conduct electricity.
2007-03-22 16:27:23 · answer #2 · answered by mad_jim 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steam does not guide electricity, nor does water.
So, why do people get electrocuted when a hairdryer falls in their bathtub? This is to blame to the impurities in the water, they 'll provide an electric conductive path through the water.
If you boil polluted water, only the water itself will vaporize, leaving the impurities behind. Thus steam is pure water in an gaseous state and therefore will not conduct electricity.
Pure water, by the way, can be heated over 100 degrees Celsuis and will not boil. If, for example, sugar is added, this water will boil instantly and appears to explode. (I advise not to try this at home, due to risk of severe burns)
2007-03-22 17:05:35 · answer #3 · answered by mc2_is_e 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A conductor is something that electricity can pass through... I'm not sure of your question...
I don't think steam could conduct electricity.
2007-03-22 14:43:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dry steam (superheated steam) will not conduct electricity. Saturated steam can in the presence of high e-fields (like around transmission lines, etc.) due to tracking of condensed water.
2007-03-22 16:40:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
steam = water plus air
best and worst conductors put together
Thick steam MIGHT get ya shocked, a thin steam, not.
2007-03-22 14:42:50 · answer #6 · answered by flowerpet56 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good? No. More conductive than dry air? I'd guess yes. But for a gas to conduct electricity, you need to turn it into a plasma.
2007-03-22 14:43:38 · answer #7 · answered by vrrJT3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with ftn nuke and will also add this.
Distilled water will not conduct electricity.
Distilled water is pure water.
Steam is pure water vapor.
2007-03-22 15:36:23 · answer #8 · answered by howard a 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. As far as I know, it is not.
2007-03-22 14:47:52 · answer #9 · answered by Swamy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋