Steam Burns

[Emily Orozco L4]

Does anyone remember how Lavelle explained that steam causes more severe burns?

[JamieVu_2C]

Steam burns are more severe due to the enthalpy of vaporization. At 100 degrees Celsius, water changes from a liquid to gas, and additional energy is needed for the change. However, despite the additional energy, the temperature is the same at 100 degrees Celsius, so both liquid and gaseous water can exist at this temperature. Because they exist at the same temperature and steam requires more energy to be converted to the gaseous phase, steam burns are more severe.

[Tracy Tolentino_2E]

How is it that at 100C, both liquid and gas can exist at the same time? And why does steam require more energy to be converted?

[Jesalynne 2F]

This helped explain it for me: http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=1322
More energy is released in a phase change from a gas to a liquid (steam would turn to liquid once it touches skin) compared to boiling water touching skin because it doesn't undergo a phase change (less energy released).
In class he used a heating curve for water to show this concept.

[Micah3J]

Steam burns are severe since all of H20 is changing states and thus transfers a lot of energy in the form of heat onto the skin

[Vinita Saxena 2I]

When steam touches your skin it has to change state, so it releases a lot of energy into your skin. Water is already a liquid so there is no phase change, which means less heat is released

[Shrayes Raman]

Steam undergo's a phase change thus releasing more energy while water liquid doesn't.

[Brian J Cheng 1I]

The energy change granted by the steam is higher (more energy is released) resulting in greater energy.

[MAC 4G]

Steam has more phase changes than water, it releases more energy when it comes into contact with skin. It transfers more energy to your skin resulting in more damage. Here's a more detailed answer: viewtopic.php?t=1844

[Mitchell Koss 4G]

The second flat line is longer than the first meaning more energy is involved for making steam from boiling water