Re: [ATM] RE: glass heating

["David M. Bourgeois" <dbourgeo@thezone.net>]

I believe that was in the usenet physics FAQ, might still be. Basically, the
water is past boiling point, the water is still, and there is nothing to
nucleate on. Movement disturbs this equilibrium, and boiling onsets
violently....

Not sure why styrofoam cups might tend to cause this more often, unless they
absorb very little microwave energy compared to regular cups, etc., and then
people heat it as though it were a regular cup, which means it gets too much
energy input....

On Tue, Jan 25, 2005 at 05:12:40PM -0600, Jerry Reddell wrote:
> 
> Apparently styro foam cups are dangerous to use for heating water etc. I
> have not experience it but a friend's teenager was scalded when he took a
> styrofoam cup of heated water from the microwave. Once in his hand and
> turned to walk away the water in the cup erupted violently causeing bad
> burns on his face and hands. I have no explaination for that event, but the
> doctor that treated him said he had seen several patients who had similar
> accidents.
> 
> Jerry Reddell
> 
-- 
David Bourgeois  -->dbourgeo@thezone.net
http://home.thezone.net/~dbourgeo/
#  "Research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing." 
#  - Wernher von Braun
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