Question

Give reasons why –

a steam burn is more damaging than a burn caused by boiling water at the same temperature.

Answer 1

A steam bum is more damaging as when steam hits our skin it condenses to water and attains the temperature of our skin. There will be an energy release due to latent heat and a fall in temperature. Whereas when boiling waterfall on our skin, there is no transition in energy, only a fall in temperature and heat transferred to the skin will be due to cooling.