Can a microwave produce Exploding Water?
Following is an explanation for the “exploding” water from the “How Things Work” Web site. It was written by Louis A. Bloomfield, Professor of Physics, University of Virginia, January 17, 2000. Yes, this sort of accident can happen. The water superheats and then boils violently when disturbed. Here’s how it works: Water can always evaporate into dry air, but it normally does so only at its surface. When water molecules leave the surface faster than they return, the quantity of liquid water gradually diminishes. That’s ordinary evaporation. However, when water is heated to its boiling temperature, it can begin to evaporate not only from its surface but also from within. If a steam bubble forms inside the hot water, water molecules can evaporate into that steam bubble and make it grow larger and larger. The high temperature is necessary because the pressure inside the bubble depends on the temperature. At low temperature, the bubble pressure is too low and the surrounding atmospheric pre
