I had this happen to me as a kid. I never had hot chocolate and thought that chocolate milk that's hot was the same thing. So I microwaved chocolate milk for 4 minutes. When I took it out, it was extremely hot, so I added ice to cool it down and it literally exploded all over me and my sister. Thankfully we were okay since most of it missed us, but the bits that landed stung pretty badly. But we both panicked and ran, then my dad came in and told us that's now how hot chocolate is made. lol
This explains why my soup exploded in my face a few years ago at work! Thankfully I only got very superficial burns and the damage healed quickly, but could have been disfigured. In my case I took it out the microwave and stuck a cold spoon in it and then bam, all over my face and clothes.
@@TheNoobeya Because at that time, like everyone else who only learned the hard way, I didn't know about the science. Wasn't expecting it to explode was I?
Why are you cooking cup noodles outside the cup? Or if you mean the boiling water part, just get a kettle. Way quicker than boiling the water in a microwave.
So what's the highest temperature the water can be heated to in this state? Surely there's some point at which it boils, regardless of the lack of nucleation site?
It is boiling, it's just the surface tension prevents it from bubbling/steam escaping. It will look perfectly still until something being dropped in breaks that, which is why it's so dangerous.
So... does this only happen with distilled water with no particles for the bubbles to form around or can it happen with ordinary tap water? If so then that is extremely dangerous. Dozens of people per year would be receiving horrific burns because of it.
It can happen with ordinary tap water. Unusual but I've seen (or heard it happen). The water exploded before I took it out of the microwave so there was no harm caused.
Smooth containers used to heat the water and small amount of impurities. Simply do what the comment above somewhere says and put a wodden something in the water before putting it in the microwave, so bubbles can form. If you have water weak in minerals this may be even more dangerous.
@@Murderbits While I rarely disagree with the myth busters crew, I would note that I was able to replicate this effect to even greater extent than what you see in the video using water from my fridge. I know it is filtered through the fridge but surely my old fridge's old filter doesn't distill the water completely.
@chrislucas9409 Filters it just enough. Where I come from we filter all the drinkable water, so I hope people know of this. About those filtering water fridges. I wonder how they do it, because usually water filters are not long lasting and some at the very least require cleaning
Put a spoon in the cup. This provides a place for the bubbles of 'boiling' to form. Water won't superheat if the energy has somewhere to go - like bubbling.
Any form of water is still water, whether it is tap water or distilled water, or if it is water with flavoring added to it. This does not change the chemical properties of water since the molecules are still the same, so it can still be superheated.
The cup or bowl needs something rough on the inside for the bubbles to form from, like a sprue or seam. Tap water will definitely do it, just did it to me using pyrex measuring bowl and tap water
Takes guts to pick up a superheated water cup with your bare hand :D
bear hands
Jyrki Jynkijä serious?
Don't confuse guts with stupidity.
@@henpuusi There's no way you think it's bear do you? That's an animal ffs...
It has a handle bud
I had this happen to me as a kid. I never had hot chocolate and thought that chocolate milk that's hot was the same thing. So I microwaved chocolate milk for 4 minutes. When I took it out, it was extremely hot, so I added ice to cool it down and it literally exploded all over me and my sister. Thankfully we were okay since most of it missed us, but the bits that landed stung pretty badly. But we both panicked and ran, then my dad came in and told us that's now how hot chocolate is made. lol
😂😂
Actually, thats probably the ice going from frozen straight into gas, causing an explosion
@@jelle2306 bruh 😂
Read this and had to see it. This looks very interesting.
I didn't know about this glitch few minutes ago.
No, that’s just normal physics.💀
This explains why my soup exploded in my face a few years ago at work! Thankfully I only got very superficial burns and the damage healed quickly, but could have been disfigured. In my case I took it out the microwave and stuck a cold spoon in it and then bam, all over my face and clothes.
Heating your soup Is fine but not water
@@TheNoobeya but it was the soup that exploded in my face.
@@heatherwoodley8244 why did u put a cold spoon in it
@@TheNoobeya Because at that time, like everyone else who only learned the hard way, I didn't know about the science. Wasn't expecting it to explode was I?
@@heatherwoodley8244 I guess you got a point
So this is why my Cup Noodles make a mess in the microwave. I should really stop, but it's so convenient.
Why are you cooking cup noodles outside the cup?
Or if you mean the boiling water part, just get a kettle. Way quicker than boiling the water in a microwave.
@@AshleyBlackwater I actually ended up getting a kettle, I now make my Cup Noodles the "correct" way.
I hope by that you mean put the noodle in the kettle with water and put the kettle in the microwave.
@@tserenne No, I put the styrofoam cup in with the water. I've stopped now though. I've been doing that since I was a kid tho.
@@nozarashi4329 it was a just a joke. btw be careful with Styrofoam cups, not sure where I read it but I heard its dangerous for your health.
this is the best way to make tea
Its a great way to get splashed with boiling hot water.
Adding "contamination" lowers the boiling point of water.
Ah I was wondering why it did that when I drop in the tea bag. Interesting.
So what's the highest temperature the water can be heated to in this state?
Surely there's some point at which it boils, regardless of the lack of nucleation site?
It is boiling, it's just the surface tension prevents it from bubbling/steam escaping. It will look perfectly still until something being dropped in breaks that, which is why it's so dangerous.
So... does this only happen with distilled water with no particles for the bubbles to form around or can it happen with ordinary tap water? If so then that is extremely dangerous. Dozens of people per year would be receiving horrific burns because of it.
Regular tap water contains impurities so it won't explode. It's only if you remove said impurities that it can become superheated
@@Wockes so if you boil it then boil ot again will it explode
happens in smooth cups as well
It can happen with ordinary tap water. Unusual but I've seen (or heard it happen). The water exploded before I took it out of the microwave so there was no harm caused.
Smooth containers used to heat the water and small amount of impurities.
Simply do what the comment above somewhere says and put a wodden something in the water before putting it in the microwave, so bubbles can form.
If you have water weak in minerals this may be even more dangerous.
This just happened to me while trying to make hot chocolate. Had to come here for the science
It's basically the water being "slow" to understand its being boiled!
It happened today with my black coffee mixed with water. I was using a chopstick to stir it and it fizzed out.
nekroposting but, just put the chopstick in before you boil it and it will allow the bubbles to form
@owl448 Before, not after
This is what I wanted to know!
I've learned of this risk with the mythbusters and it baffles me no one warns of the risk.
Disliking because you did not safely handle superheated water, you just picked it up without gloves!
I just learned about duperhestinh today when my water exploded in the microwave. I thought I was a ghost.
Water always boils in my microwaves
20 years and never once got such superheated results
Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it almost happened to me just a minute ago.
Been using a microwave for 20 years and it just happened to me.
Been using a microwave for 200 years and I can confirm this happens
20 years of subpar water i guess. if you boil pure water you can get this effect.
@@donb6897
20 years of well water.
Pure water is not healthy. We need minerals.
City water is pure trash, ill drink from a creek unfiltered first.
this wasn't so bad, mine was splashing higher than this and got onto my hand
My glass exploded
this can happen with tap water also, not only with distilled water
@@Murderbits While I rarely disagree with the myth busters crew, I would note that I was able to replicate this effect to even greater extent than what you see in the video using water from my fridge. I know it is filtered through the fridge but surely my old fridge's old filter doesn't distill the water completely.
@chrislucas9409
Filters it just enough.
Where I come from we filter all the drinkable water, so I hope people know of this.
About those filtering water fridges. I wonder how they do it, because usually water filters are not long lasting and some at the very least require cleaning
Put a spoon in the cup. This provides a place for the bubbles of 'boiling' to form. Water won't superheat if the energy has somewhere to go - like bubbling.
Remember to call the emergency before.
You ~~ I know of a place where they have plastic ones.
I agree
put a *WOODEN* spoon in before it. This allows the bubbles to form without you know the risk of metal
Works better with a piece of tin foil
Liquid superheated? No way! What's the things he dropped in the water? I dropped pure Na into water, it exploded😂
Worst choice of music I could think of
This happened to me with an egg today
This is awesome!
Cool story bro 😎
I'm gonna try this
RIP
This is only with distilled water
no, this can work with "normal" water as well. happened to me a few days ago.
Nope - just related some tap water in a measuring cup and this happen to me!
Any form of water is still water, whether it is tap water or distilled water, or if it is water with flavoring added to it. This does not change the chemical properties of water since the molecules are still the same, so it can still be superheated.
The cup or bowl needs something rough on the inside for the bubbles to form from, like a sprue or seam. Tap water will definitely do it, just did it to me using pyrex measuring bowl and tap water
Nope. It happened to me with tomato soup a few years back. I always wondered why and now today I found out.