Use caution Microwaving water, don't Superheat!

cars · Post by **cars** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:03 am

Received this from a friend today.

It was checked on Snopes¦true!

Microwaving Water!

A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before).. I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that the! water was not boiling, but suddenly the water in the cup 'blew up' into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand, but all the water had flown out into his face due to the buildup of energy. His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring.

He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc.., (nothing metal).

General Electric's Response:

Thanks for contacting us, I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it.

To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds! before moving it or adding anything into it.

Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter: 'Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before. It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup).

What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form. If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form. As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up, the liquid does not boil, and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point.

What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken.'

If you pass this on you could very well save someone from a lot of pain and suffering.

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:15 am

Wow! Create your own volcano in your microwave....................... That's scary!

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:22 am

There was a young boy here who nearly lost an eye when a boiled egg exploded because he didn't prick the shell and a woman who was severley burned by scrambled egg that exploded when she opened the door. I hate micro's. I don't trust them. My Chinese take away caught fire in one once and that put me off. There was lightening and all sorts going on in there. I did have a tin of cat food explode in my face once as well and Tesco gave me £50 of vouchers :wah:

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:58 am

Thanks for the reminder to be careful, cars.

Hubby and I heat up water in the microwave for coffee everyday.

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:08 am

I used to heat up my coffee in a microwave if it had gone cold. I've never heated water in a microwave though. I use a kettle for most water boiling purposes.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:26 am

Wow, I didn't know that.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:49 am

wow, I had no idea, I heat my water in a mug everyday for my coffee.

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:02 am

oscar;1161391 wrote: There was a young boy here who nearly lost an eye when a boiled egg exploded because he didn't prick the shell and a woman who was severley burned by scrambled egg that exploded when she opened the door. I hate micro's. I don't trust them. My Chinese take away caught fire in one once and that put me off. There was lightening and all sorts going on in there. I did have a tin of cat food explode in my face once as well and Tesco gave me £50 of vouchers :wah:

Sounds like you made the cardinal sin of putting metal in the microwave ! Was the Chinese food in an aluminium container? Did you really put a tin of cat food in the microwave? If so FFS Oscar !!!! You are lucky to still be around Mrs !!!!!

:-2 :-2 :-2 :-5 :-5 :-5 :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:07 am

OpenMind;1161439 wrote: I used to heat up my coffee in a microwave if it had gone cold. I've never heated water in a microwave though. I use a kettle for most water boiling purposes.

Its like were twins.

Lets make a pact not to melt our faces.

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:57 am

Nomad;1161519 wrote: Its like were twins.

Lets make a pact not to melt our faces.

That's a pact I would be happy to make.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:10 pm

G#Gill;1161512 wrote: Sounds like you made the cardinal sin of putting metal in the microwave ! Was the Chinese food in an aluminium container? Did you really put a tin of cat food in the microwave? If so FFS Oscar !!!! You are lucky to still be around Mrs !!!!!

:-2 :-2 :-2 :-5 :-5 :-5 :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl :wah: Yes, the chinese was in metal trays. It was really scarey and like the Beijing opening ceromony going on in there. I didn't put the cat food in the micro. I just opened a tin of 'Whiskers' once and as i peeled back the ring pull, it just went bang...... all over me. And it was salmon flavour so it stunk. I checked the sell by date and it was fine so i went stompting back to Tesco with it. I was amazed when they said it's quite common. Something to do with the pressure in the canning production. I have never bought a tin of 'Whiskers' since. A neighbour said the same happened to her with a tin of sweetcorn

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 3:25 pm

oscar;1161631 wrote: :wah: Yes, the chinese was in metal trays. It was really scarey and like the Beijing opening ceromony going on in there. I didn't put the cat food in the micro. I just opened a tin of 'Whiskers' once and as i peeled back the ring pull, it just went bang...... all over me. And it was salmon flavour so it stunk. I checked the sell by date and it was fine so i went stompting back to Tesco with it. I was amazed when they said it's quite common. Something to do with the pressure in the canning production. I have never bought a tin of 'Whiskers' since. A neighbour said the same happened to her with a tin of sweetcorn

I'm sure the sweetcorn experience was far more pleasant!

An empty microwave accidently switched on also creates lightning rather well

:wah:

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:48 pm

Betty Boop;1161717 wrote: I'm sure the sweetcorn experience was far more pleasant!

An empty microwave accidently switched on also creates lightning rather well

:wah: I'll have to try that :wah: It won't come as a surprise when i say i've had about 4 micro's in 10 years. :wah:

qsducks · Post by **qsducks** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:07 am

Ours died as a result of Quin putting a little Matchbox car into it. The car melted, the oven stank for a few days and then finally died a year ago. Have never replaced it and have no desire to do it. I like my toaster oven much better.:wah: As for boiling water, on the stove...it's faster and you can tell when it's bubbly.