Be very, very careful heating water in a microwave

Post #126,661

11/19/03 12:30:52 AM

[link|http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/superheating.html|http://www.phys.unsw...superheating.html]

Cheers,
Ben

"good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not"
- [link|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html|Stefano Mazzocchi]

Post #126,663

by deSitter

11/19/03 12:36:17 AM

YES!

I was going to point this out - lots of fun under controlled conditions!

-drl

Post #126,664

by deSitter

11/19/03 12:44:22 AM

The other kitchen burn danger

..self-igniting grease fire. Sort of the same idea - grease for, say, French fries is heated to the point of ignition. You blow it out with a few puffs but it continues to smoke sightly - then you pick up the frying pan to dump the grease down the drain and WHOOSH! - the smoke itself ignites in a flash fire. You can see smoke ignition in action with a candle - blow the candle out and while the gases above are still hot, put a flame in the smoke trail - candle magically re-ignites.

If you ever have a grease fire, blow it out and then LEAVE IT BE for 10 minutes.

-drl

Post #126,667

by static

11/19/03 1:11:37 AM

That's how those trick candles work.

There are magnesium crystals in the wick that spark as they burn. These sparks ignite the smoke and hey-presto a candle flame re-appears.

Wade.

Is it enough to love
Is it enough to breathe
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed

Is it enough to die
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary
Please

-- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne.

Post #126,696

by Nightowl

11/19/03 11:50:05 AM

Re: The other kitchen burn danger

..self-igniting grease fire. Sort of the same idea - grease for, say, French fries is heated to the point of ignition. You blow it out with a few puffs but it continues to smoke sightly - then you pick up the frying pan to dump the grease down the drain and WHOOSH! - the smoke itself ignites in a flash fire. You can see smoke ignition in action with a candle - blow the candle out and while the gases above are still hot, put a flame in the smoke trail - candle magically re-ignites.

This is another reason I do not cook. I'm absolutely terrified of popping grease or anything to do with cooking with grease.

Nightowl >8#

"The difference between being immature and child-like is that one is what you are, and one is what you choose to be."

Comment by Nightowl {O,O}

Post #126,739

by Ashton

11/19/03 4:37:54 PM

Re: The other kitchen grease danger

Dumping *any* 'grease' down your drain, especially hot! - is what buys new boats for plumbers, sooner or later. Even an mt glass jar, warmed by a few drips First! so it doesn't crack - is a better habit to get into. Then too, what happened to Putting a Lid on the thing? Combustion: rapid oxidation cha cha cha

(Amazing too, the number of folks what never heard of cooling collected grease, using disposal with COLD water, etc. - for those who won't trouble to toss it in the garbage directly.)

Once upon a time, folks saved grease from home use - it got recycled for soap and other stuff.. (but That took a huge War to become habitual, too IIRC)

Eloise

Post #127,547

by pwhysall

11/25/03 10:40:45 AM

Wet teatowel is best for fat fires.

Turn the heat off, and leave it alone for at least an hour.

Post #126,694

by Nightowl

11/19/03 11:48:12 AM

Re: Be very, very careful heating water in a microwave

Thanks Ben, I kinda knew some of that, but not all.

I'm always very very careful when heating it. I don't fill the mug all the way, for one thing, and I have two very old mugs that I always use for tea or hot chocolate, so they aren't new, which is good.

I also let it stand in the oven for a couple seconds at least before removing it, and I never put my face over it. My only mistake was trying to sip it before checking the temperature.

I have concluded that approximately 1 minute in my microwave is what does it for me, i.e. hot enough to do some good to my throat, but not too hot to sip.

Thanks :)

P.S. My tongue seems a lot better today, still roughed up and sore, but nothing like yesterday.

"The difference between being immature and child-like is that one is what you are, and one is what you choose to be."

Comment by Nightowl {O,O}

Post #127,546

by pwhysall

11/25/03 10:39:45 AM

Two Words

Stir Well.

Welcome to IWETHEY!