Question

Why are burns caused by steam more severe than boiling water?

Answer 1

Answer:

Because when the water evaporates it takes away the surrounding heat with it. therefore burns caused by steam are more severe as they are hotter

Answer 2

Steam causes more severe burns than hot water for the following reasons:-

• Steam has more kinetic energy than the boiling water as we all know that gases have more kinetic energy than liquids and steam is at gaseous state and water is in liquid state.

• As the hidden heat or latent heat is used up by the liquid to overcome the force of attraction and to change it's state, so the steam must have more heat than the boiling water.

• Another reason is there the boiling point of water is 100°C and if it is crossed then water will turn into gas which clearly shows that the gas (steam)has more heat than the water.

∴ Steam causes more severe burns than the hot water.