topic Re: Microwaving Water! in Community Spirit

Microwaving Water!

icyfroth — Sun, 24 May 2015 07:37:31 GMT

Don't know the veracity of this, but I pass it on ...

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 build-up 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 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 a local high school 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 any time wateris 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 vapour 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 that 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.

I always thought that wooden spoon would come in handy lol.

Re: Microwaving Water!

lyndal1838 — Mon, 25 May 2015 06:05:19 GMT

That is not exactly new icy.

I just looked at the instruction book that was with a microwave that was purchased in the late 1970s and it give much the same information...not as much detail of course.

Re: Microwaving Water!

icyfroth — Mon, 25 May 2015 06:09:28 GMT

@lyndal1838 wrote:
That is not exactly new icy.
I just looked at the instruction book that was with a microwave that was purchased in the late 1970s and it give much the same information...not as much detail of course.

So? It's still valid, is it not?

Re: Microwaving Water!

lloydslights — Mon, 25 May 2015 07:35:49 GMT

I'll never forget when I made my first mug of coffee in that manner.

Fortunately, I take a lot of milk in my mug so there was less water to begin with. Fortunately, I used to make my coffees on the sink draining board (saves housework with possible spillages .)

Thereafter one of the signs called the Kitchen, the Laboratory.

DEB

Re: Microwaving Water!

lyndal1838 — Mon, 25 May 2015 07:36:08 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@lyndal1838 wrote:
That is not exactly new icy.
I just looked at the instruction book that was with a microwave that was purchased in the late 1970s and it give much the same information...not as much detail of course.
So? It's still valid, is it not?

And where did I say it was not valid?

What I have done is confirm that the report you posted is accurate and it has been known for many years.

Re: Microwaving Water!

icyfroth — Mon, 25 May 2015 10:12:32 GMT

@lyndal1838 wrote:
@icyfroth wrote:
@lyndal1838 wrote:
That is not exactly new icy.
I just looked at the instruction book that was with a microwave that was purchased in the late 1970s and it give much the same information...not as much detail of course.
So? It's still valid, is it not?
And where did I say it was not valid?
What I have done is confirm that the report you posted is accurate and it has been known for many years.

Oh well! I'm so glad it has your seal of approval!

Re: Microwaving Water!

the_great_she_elephant — Mon, 25 May 2015 11:16:24 GMT

Oh well! I'm so glad it has your seal of approval!

SEAL OF APPROVAL

Re: Microwaving Water!

jimmy*part4 — Mon, 25 May 2015 11:21:54 GMT

I needed the reminder. I'd forgotten that, but myth busters says it needs to be distilled water. They also said they couldn't rule out it being possible for other liquids.

I'm impressed...someone saved a manual from the 70s. : )

I never trusted a microwave and avoid using it, but I do sometimes and could see me making that mistake. I have a gas stove that heats things quick enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=eIGPvPRzEaQ

Re: Microwaving Water!

springyzone — Mon, 25 May 2015 12:39:05 GMT

I'm really glad you posted this.

My husband always makes his coffee this way-puts in water and milk and off it goes into the microwave (yuck)

I didn't know the liquid could explode like this. I'll tell him, he won't be happy.

Re: Microwaving Water!

lyndal1838 — Mon, 25 May 2015 12:54:35 GMT

If there is milk in the cup as well it will not behave in the same way as if it is just water.

The instructions for cleaning that old microwave were to boil a cup of water with dishwashing liquid added to clean it. I have been doing it for over 30 years with no ill effects.

Re: Microwaving Water!

monman12 — Mon, 25 May 2015 14:08:39 GMT

As you say L1838 this knowledge has been around for ages, the OP is from 1999. Conditions must be perfect for superheating to occur. and it is not very common at all.

It might be of interest to note that at the other end of the scale it is possible to have supercooled water, but as with superheating the water has to be quite pure and free from impurities (nucleation particulates) A common example is in certain clouds, and when flying through them, water droplets freeze instantly upon contact with the aircraft surfaces.

Re: Microwaving Water!

electric*mayhem*band — Mon, 25 May 2015 15:46:20 GMT

I never boil water in the microwave. What's easier than knocking the switch down on the kettle ? I'm sure that any time saved is infinitisimal. Apart from that, I don't think it tastes as good as kettle-boiled water. Appears to have a certain 'odd taste' to it. Well to me it does.

Come to that, I don't even warm soup in the microwave. That too doesn't have the same taste somehow, as soup warmed up on the stove.

Re: Microwaving Water!

softail-joanie — Mon, 25 May 2015 17:51:21 GMT

this is all very interesting, how cool would it be to put a microwaive outside at a safe distance, run a cord to it, lol, and put a container of gasolene in? set it for oh say 10 minutes and start shooting at it after a couple minutes. Wait, not gasolene, nitroglrycerin, even better.

Ive seen people who do this with old TVs, setting them out on a target range and plug them in, and shoot at some TV show actor, a commercial or news story they don't like.

i knew a guy who nuked his coffee after it getting cold, and the bottom fell off the coffee cup as he pulled it out. someone else was standing around, we both were laughing at him.

Re: Microwaving Water!

viewmont1071 — Mon, 25 May 2015 20:58:31 GMT

I would love to be a whitegoods tester

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fPi8w4h-NY

Re: Microwaving Water!

viewmont1071 — Mon, 25 May 2015 21:07:19 GMT

Hotpoint...the best washing machines in the world..they just keep on keeping on

those wacky ~~queenslanders~~ mexicans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_PLnInsh7E

Re: Microwaving Water!

serendipityricho — Mon, 25 May 2015 21:18:45 GMT

HaHa Viewmont -some classics there-watched a few-will view the others later.

The first one that compacted the veggie garden--would be handy for a concreter.

Love your work........................Richo.

Re: Microwaving Water!

bright.ton42 — Tue, 26 May 2015 02:12:55 GMT

Thanks for the reminder Icy. Right at the back of my mind I did know this but of course had forgotten. So they're saying either to heat liquids with a wooden spoon in them, or leave them in the MW for 30 seconds. i must remember that, in fact will write it on the

MW.

Re: Microwaving Water!

icyfroth — Tue, 26 May 2015 02:53:04 GMT

@lyndal1838 wrote:
If there is milk in the cup as well it will not behave in the same way as if it is just water.

The instructions for cleaning that old microwave were to boil a cup of water with dishwashing liquid added to clean it. I have been doing it for over 30 years with no ill effects.

And you're still reading the instruction manual?

Re: Microwaving Water!

lyndal1838 — Tue, 26 May 2015 03:18:31 GMT

@icyfroth wrote:
@lyndal1838 wrote:
If there is milk in the cup as well it will not behave in the same way as if it is just water.

The instructions for cleaning that old microwave were to boil a cup of water with dishwashing liquid added to clean it. I have been doing it for over 30 years with no ill effects.
And you're still reading the instruction manual?

No Icy, I read the instructions 30 years ago on how to clean the microwave and have been doing the same thing ever since.

What is your problem?

Re: Microwaving Water!

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Tue, 26 May 2015 03:29:31 GMT

I've been boiling water in a microwave for years......I use a measuring cup, 2 cups worth....3.5 minutes in my microwave. I use the water for "cup o' noodles" and for making Jello..........plus the occasional cuppa.......

My bete noir is the frozen burrito........I one accidently nuked one for upwards of 20 minutes (although I really don't know at what point the microwave gave up the ghost......You ever see a fireplace log in the morning, black and ashy, with an eerie glow deep within? That was my burrito.