Question

Why can you get a more severe burn from steam at 100°C than from water at 100°C?

(A) Steam has more thermal energy than water.
(B) Water at 100°C has higher density than steam.
(C) Steam has lower specific heat capacity than water.
(D) Water and steam have the same capacity to cause burns at 100°C.

Answer 1

Steam has more thermal energy than water, leading to more severe burns from steam at 100°C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is (A) Steam has more thermal energy than water.

When water boils and turns into steam, it undergoes a phase change. During this phase change, a considerable amount of heat energy is absorbed by the water molecules to break the hydrogen bonds and convert them into a gaseous state.

This process requires a higher amount of energy compared to heating water at the same temperature.

As a result, steam at 100°C has more thermal energy than water at 100°C. This higher thermal energy makes steam more capable of causing severe burns compared to water at the same temperature.