2007-11-28 00:14:58 · 10 answers · asked by nat2_16 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
There is more heat in steam at 100 degrees than water at 100 degrees.
Imagine you have 1 kg of water at 99.9 degrees and you heat it just to 100 degrees, it will not turn to steam. In order to heat it to steam, to saturate it with enough heat to turn to steam, you must add another 2260 kJ of heat. So steam at the boiling point may be substantially hotter than water, though it may not have a different temperature. This extreme heat shift overcomes any differences in density.
2007-11-28 00:31:40 · answer #1 · answered by OPM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steam gives up latent heat of fusion on condensing, which is supposed to cause this effect.
Actually this has not been found true clinically. Since steam is a gas not much mass of it can contact, while liquid water can.
Burns from near boiling water damages tissue more.
2007-11-28 08:27:44 · answer #2 · answered by A.V.R. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Simple. The temperature is higher. By definition, hot water can't possibly be hotter than 212 F or 100 C, and steam is always at least that hot. A hotter object causes a worse burn.
2007-11-28 08:17:15 · answer #3 · answered by Amy F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Relatively cool skin will cool down a layer (film) of warm water in contact with the skin possibly limiting the burn damage. Hot live steam will remain at 212F while condensing on the skin until the skin reaches and maintains a temperature of 212F. A mixture of steam and air will be less dangerous (than live steam) as an air cushion can form to exclude more steam. Clouds are a mixture of air and 'steam' that has partially condensed. Hot water at 212F carries more heat energy than live steam at 212F per cubic foot and flowing hot water at steam temperature can cause bad scalds too.
2007-11-28 09:03:47 · answer #4 · answered by Kes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, for one thing...steam is a lot hotter than hot water...
Steam actually penetrates the tissues...and goes a lot further than the top layer or top tissue...it continues to burn through and under the top layer...
2007-11-28 08:20:09 · answer #5 · answered by Doodlebug 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When an object changes in matter (such as water to steam) it gains or loses energy. liquids into gas gain engery while liquids into soilds lose it (hence why ice is cold) this transfer of energy means that steam is hotter than 212 F (which water has to be to boil) which then results in much more painfull burns (its not nessisarly because of the heat but because of the energy of the object)
2007-11-28 08:23:19 · answer #6 · answered by coolguy720042004 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Due to latent heat of condensation.It is the energy require d to convert liquid to vapour.This extra (hidden) heat is the reason for steam to be more injurious than hot water.
2007-11-28 08:47:32 · answer #7 · answered by sonu_may 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because steam is hotter than hot water, if you boil wwater, the hottest it can get is 212 degrees farenheight, 100 celcius, after that it becomes steam
2007-11-28 08:18:27 · answer #8 · answered by Ba12348 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steam is much hotter than water, that means it can do more damamge.
2007-11-28 08:17:00 · answer #9 · answered by Monte T 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
its hotter and it scalds rather than burns
2007-11-28 08:19:34 · answer #10 · answered by dumplingmuffin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋