Can water explode if you microwave it too long?

Question

My sister said the molecules burst or something.

Answer 1

No they don't burst, unless you happen to have a nuclear reactor or accelerator in your basement. They just absorb energy from the microwave (radio) waves emitted by the magnetron tube in your oven. The water's temperature rises... when it gets to 212 fahrenheit, it starts to boil. Steam is emitted. Steam has about 1700 times the volume of the water it came from, so if the steam is formed quickly, it can fill whatever container it's in fast . If it's in a sealed container, you've got a boiler, which can explode. But it's purely physical, not atomic. So if you heat water in a microwave, always be sure it's in an open container and watch it carefully so that it doesn't all boil away. If that happens, things will start melting fast, as all the energy emitted by the oven will no longer be absorbed by the water.. and have to go somewhere else.

Answer 2

If the container is perfectly smoothe and clean, the water can be superheated. Introducing an imperfection (like touching the water with a spoon) or a sudden shock (like tapping the container) can start the boiling process, which will accelerate explosively until enough water has evaporated to reduce the temperature to the boiling point. Don't try this at home without dialing 911 in advance of your experiment.

Answer 3

Actually it does not explode. This has been done on tv. It is the fact that if you boil water in a microwave with a narrow opening, the water will actually boil out of it.

Answer 4

I have read about it, supposedly if it gets too hot it does create an air pocket and when you insert a spoon in it, it can cause it to explode.

Answer 5

No ,, it just boils