Miata Mailing List: February 2000, Message #55

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Hi Phredd--

I'd be inclined to agree that it's another chip of fertilizer.  Microwave
ovens are //FAR// from airtight, so you can't superheat the water unless you
have it in some sort of tightly closed container.  If the boob had the water
in a really well sealed cup and peeled the lid back while peeking in, it
might happen (like depressurizing a hot cooling system), but I doubt it.
That, and if it were such a common occurance, why is this the first I've
ever heard of it?  Ya'd think there'd have been a lawsuit or two by now,
no??

As for the nonsense that a wooden stick or teabag would 'diffuse' the
energy, well, more fertilizer.  The reason that microwaves heat things is
that they are the perfect wavelength to couple to water- the water in the
cup is what absorbs the energy.  It would barely have any effect on the
wood.  One of the dangers to humans when exposed to microwave radiation is
that they couple very well to the water in your eyes (which won't feel the
heat) and the family jewels.  Ouch!!

Pat (who works with industrial microwave systems all day, making hot water)

96 B&T

>         Miataphyles: [Especially the physics majors amongst us]
>
>         I got the email below the other day warning me of dire injury
> from exploding water when heated in a microwave oven. As I've been doing
> just that for years, I just discounted it as just another Bullstuff Urban
> Legend/E-scare thing. But, stuff happens.
>
>         The only way I can think that this could be possible is if the
> atmospheric pressure were somehow dramatically lower outside the
> microwave. But, even then, it would require that the appliance were gas
> tight and, AFAIK, microwave ovens are not. And, even it it were, the
> water would be likely to burst into boil the instant the door was opened
> and the inside pressure lowered . . . rather than waiting for this
> hapless boob to pick up the cup and stick his face over it, wouldn't it?
>
>         I wonder if this is the same guy who hooked up the JATO kit to
> his Henry J.
>
>         Keep the Revs up!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>         Phredd  ~  Klassic Red '93A  ~  "Mr.Redd"  ~  Norfolk, Va. USA
>
>         God's Miata is Red!
>
>
>
>
>         ----------------the email below-------------------
>
>
> Be careful when microwaving water.
>
> I feel that the following is information that any one who uses a
> microwave oven to heat water should be made aware of. About five days ago
> my 26-year old son decided to have a cup of instant 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 told me 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 instantly 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 blown 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 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. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a
> tea kettle. Please pass this information on to friends and family.
>
>
>
>