Message-ID: <4953054.1075844825456.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 10:32:00 -0800 (PST) From: yao.apasu@enron.com To: natalie@layfamily.com, linda_agbe@hotmail.com, bforson2@hotmail.com Subject: Boiling water in the microwave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Yao Apasu X-To: Edwin Essandoh@EES, Sara Shackleton@ECT, natalie@layfamily.com, "sylvia agbebieku" @ ENRON, bforson2@hotmail.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Sara_Shackleton_Dec2000_June2001_2\Notes Folders\Notes inbox X-Origin: SHACKLETON-S X-FileName: sshackle.nsf Hope you are doing fine. Take care of yourselves. Yao ---------------------- Forwarded by Yao Apasu/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT on 02/12/2001 06:29 PM --------------------------- Habiba Bayi 02/12/2001 02:54 PM To: Ruth A Lancaster@ENRON, Perry.Ewing@resins.com, "Ewing,Mamie H" @ ENRON, Katrin Haux/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Yao Apasu/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Stacy.Walker@enron communications.com, Whitney Anderson , Susan Brady @ ENRON, "Anderson,Carla" @ ENRON cc: Subject: Boiling water in the microwave ---------------------- Forwarded by Habiba Bayi/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT on 02/12/2001 02:55 PM --------------------------- Felicia Legier 02/12/2001 09:33 AM To: Amadou Ba/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Keith Sparks/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Sean Long/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Carla Galvan/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Habiba Bayi/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT, Monique Phillips/Enron@EnronXGate cc: Subject: Boiling water in the microwave ---------------------- Forwarded by Felicia Legier/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT on 02/13/2001 08:20 AM --------------------------- From: Doris Culpepper@EES on 02/06/2001 10:58 AM To: Felicia Legier/ENRON_DEVELOPMENT@ENRON_DEVELOPMENT cc: Subject: Boiling water in the microwave > Boiling Water in Microwave This is scary and I know most of you do this: > > I feel that the following is information that any one who uses a > microwave oven to heat water should be made aware of. > > My 26-year old son 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 > told me he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the > oven off, he removed he 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 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 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. > > 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 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 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. > > > General Electric's response: > > Thanks for contacting us, Mr. Williams. 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. > > I hope this helps. Should you need any further assistance, please contact us.