Why does steam at 100 degrees celsius cause more severe burns than boiling water at 100 degrees celsius ?

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abbrechtq17 · Accepted Answer

Water boils at a temperature of 100 Celsius. The water will start to transition from its liquid state to its gaseous state at this temperature. A greater amount of energy is needed for this change to occur. In fact, every gram of liquid water requires 540 calories of heat energy just to convert it to steam. This is called the Heat of Vaporization. During the conversion process, temperature does not increase. It is, therefore, possible to have both liquid water and steam that exist at 100 degrees Celsius. While they both would exist at the same temperature, the steam would have a lot more heat energy due to the additional 540 calories per gram of heat energy that has been absorbed. This is why steam burns are worse than the water burns.

Why does steam at 100 degrees celsius cause more severe burns than boiling water at 100 degrees celsius ?

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