Hello, I have heard a very similar story about a child blowing into a microwave heated cup containing spiced wine. Terrible.
I learned at a German Institute for Household Techniques and Equipments, that you can use a metal spoon, but no fork, because the spoon is closed but the fork has distances in between. So the spoon does not have the effect to destroy the microwave. Can't explain it better in English. Sorry. But ever since I place a metal teaspoon in my mug when I heat some liquid in my microwave. It works without trouble. Martina in Germany On 2 Nov 2009 at 23:03, David C COLLYER wrote: > A 26-year old man 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 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 suddenly 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 build up 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 is 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.., (nothing metal). > > > > > General Electric's Response: > > Thanks for contacting us, 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 th is 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. > > 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 in 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 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 > > David in Ballarat > > To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the > line: > unsubscribe lace-chat [email protected]. For help, write to > [email protected]. To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected].
