Question

what produces severe burns?boiling water or steam?Explain

Answer 1

Steam will produce more severe burnsthan boiling water because steam has more heat energy than water due to its latent heat of vaporisation. Steam andboiling water can exist at varying temperatures but it is only correct to assume here that both are at the same temperature.

Answer 2

Steam causes more severe burns than boiling water because steam releases the extra heat energy which it has already taken during vapourisation .