Steam

[pamcoronel1H]

Just to clarify, was the reason why steam causes severe burns was because as vapor turns to liquid it releases more a lot of heat (40.7 kJ). Or is there more detail behind this?

[705192887]

Yes. Steam has more energy so it causes more severe burns.

[Alma Flores 1D]

Yes, steam causes more severe burns because it has more energy, with a temperature of 40.7 kJ/mol, as opposed to liquid which has a temperature of 7.5 kJ/mol. This is demonstrated using the heating curve for water.

[Chris Dis3L]

When boiling water comes into contact with your skin, it will transfer the difference in heat to your skin which results in a burn. However, when steam touches your skin it not only transfers the difference in heat similar to boiling water, but it also transfers the energy from the latent heat
of vaporization. Thus steam causes more severe burns than boiling water.

[Jonny Schindler 1A]

Is this also true for the small amounts of steam that escape even before the boiling point is reached?

[Fanny Lee 2K]

When steam gets into contact with the air, doesn't it cool down immediately?

[Angela Cong 3C]

steam does cool down but it's still immediately displacing the energy that was necessary to change water into steam in the heating curve.

[lindsey_ammann_4E]

To answer this question, you must refer to the heating curve. In this case, steam has more energy in Kj/mol, meaning it will burn your hand more upon contact due to the higher amount of energy of vaporized water (compared to the lower amount of energy in liquid water).

[Megan_Ervin_1F]

It is because there is more energy released for a gas than a liquid. The reason it burns so much is because the energy is released very quickly. For example, my TA explained it like if you were to punch someone slowly it would not hurt as much but if you punch someone quickly the pain is greater. Similar thinking for how gas releases more energy very quickly.

[Brandon Mo 4K]

Steam causes severe burns because it releases a lot of energy very quickly when it turns back into liquid water.

[Ray Huang 1G]

Steam is worse bc it can carry more energy for the same temperature compared to liquid water.

[005113695]

steam causes more severe burns because steam has more energy if you look at its heating curve.