Boiling water challenge sends at least 8 people to hospital during polar vortex...

[LakeSuperiorView]

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/national/hot-topics/boiling-water-challenge-sends-at-least-8-people-to-hospital-during-polar-vortex/917666936

Have you seen videos of people throwing boiling water into the air to watch it freeze instantly? It’s the latest viral challenge, and it’s sending people to the hospital.

Within the last view weeks, parts of the United States have been affected by the polar vortex, which occurs when circulating winds from the northern pole travel southward and cause below freezing temperatures.

To test just how cold the weather has been, folks have been tossing boiling water into the sky to turn it into tiny ice crystals.

It really does not freeze, it vaporizes. The water has to be very close to boiling, such that when thrown into the air, the pressure of the water above it disappears and it all flashes into water vapor. The temperature has to be really low, so that the humidity is very low.


You are a Dumbass if you throw it over yourself, and deserve what happens to anyone throwing boiling water onto themselves gets. The heat from the water has to go somewhere, let it be the air 10 feet away from you, not your body.

[brooklynite]

1. Can I suggest you edit your headline?

This is about 8 people IN CHICAGO (fun fact: I know one of them). I'm guessing the national count was much higher.

[LakeSuperiorView]

3. General Discussion has no exact headline requirements, yet I used it anyway.

Dumb people know no geographic boundaries, but they do tend to hang in groups.

[Ms. Toad]

6. I think the point is that it might in the hundreds

if there were 8 in Chicago, alone.

[LakeSuperiorView]

8. You could write the author of the article, I provide the link...

[Yosemito]

2. No. Dumb people don't deserve that

They didn't know. Are you a sadist?

[LakeSuperiorView]

4. If you throw boiling hot water on yourself, what happens?

I specifically advised people to throw the water away from themselves. Is English your second language?

[Yosemito]

5. They thought it would freeze

That's what matters, when talking about whether someone deserves something.

[LakeSuperiorView]

7. What happens to people that throw boiling water on themselves?

If you put a revolver in your mouth and pull the trigger, does it matter if you think it is unloaded?
Can one float in the updraft of a skyscraper by stepping out the window if you believe you can?

Being stupid has a price. Sometimes you get away without it, sometimes you don't.

[Yosemito]

11. Ask me what they thought

waiting. We all agreed from the get go that these people are dumb. So why are you asking me what would happen with the boiling water it we all know and agree that it would burn the peoples faces? You’re saying they deserve it because they didn’t know the consequences, which makes no sense.

[LakeSuperiorView]

12. Sorry, you don't get to dictate my posts.

I'm saying do a stupid thing, expect stupid results. Maybe you wish to ensconce everyone in bubble wrap and protect them from the world. Throwing boiling water over your head is a concept that an 8 year old should know is a bad idea. I don't control nature> I didn't tell them to dump boiling hot water on themselves. If one is stupid enough to think boiling water will not burn you, do you think they shouldn't have gotten burned? What a ridiculous notion.

What make little sense is the rambling, random nature of your sentences.

Have a nice day.

[LanternWaste]

27. And while you may pretend that they deserve second- and third-degree burns

"Sorry, you don't get to dictate my posts...."

And while you may pretend that they deserve second- and third-degree burns, realize it's merely pretense on your part as well.

I'm saying, post a stupid premise, expect only stupidity to rationalize it.

[LakeSuperiorView]

43. Thanks for trying to explain my thoughts to me...

Get over yourself.

[912gdm]

45. Wow.....

just read your replies upthread....


smh

[912gdm]

48. oh, you're a hoot.

How civil...

[cwydro]

41. I think I understand your user name now...

Quite different from my original thought.

[Blue_Tires]

36. I'm perfectly willing to let Uncle Chuck (Darwin) cull the herd

Because if we warn the stupid about this, they'll just go back to eating Tide pods...

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Just A Couple Nits To Pick

The water vapor near the boiling point is actually quite high, so that vapor condenses rapidly into aerosolized water droplets in 5 to 20 micron size.
Because at that size, the surface to mass ratio is VERY high, so those droplets lose calories by the millisecond.
The result is that the aerosol of droplets actually do freeze.
The other point is that this actually not that inherently dangerous, but the handle, or container slipping can cause the water to go too straight up.
Hence, it's an accident that doesn't necessarily have to be rooted in stupidity.

[LakeSuperiorView]

10. "so that vapor condenses rapidly" Where did the water vapor come from?

One throws water into air that has virtually no water vapor in it, so where does this condensing water vapor come from? Consider what has to happen first. A hint, the effect will not happen with tap hot water.

Condensing water vapor losing heat in milliseconds transfers that heat somewhere. I'd prefer it to be the cold air rather than my hand or head. That's why I suggest throwing away from oneself. I did it last week with a quart pot of water.

It doesn't have to be anymore dangerous than making tea. But one generally isn't throwing tea around.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Vapor/Liquid Equilibrium

At 210 degrees water exerts a vapor pressure above the liquid of nearly 0.84 atmospheres or around 13 psi
Under nearly all conditions, there is an equilibrium of liquid and vapor. That's true of essentially every liquid especially notable in things that liquid over a wide range of temperature
Different liquids (say ethylene glycol) has a different equilibrium curve than water but it's still the same concept
The water itself would do it too, but it requires more motive force to aerosolize liquid water.
The rapidly cooling gas condenses into microscopic droplets due to physics. No special other impetus is required.
The heat is transferring into the cold air so it is going somewhere. The water is giving up the heat to phase transition from vapor to liquid.
Think about it: do the exact same test with room temperature water.
The effect is dramatically reduced because the vapor pressure above the liquid is a 25th or so. That's so much less mass of water, that the cloud of ice crystals isn't anywhere close to as intense
That's the point of heating the water to around boiling.

[LakeSuperiorView]

14. Now you are just dancing.

Before water vapor can condense, the water must VAPORIZE. You are describing what happens AFTER the water vaporizes and claiming that is all that is happening. Yes, some of the water vapor condenses and freezes, but to do that, it must first vaporize.

Think about, I told you that the effect does happen with hot water from the tap.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. Your Challenging Established Science

Look up Vapor/Liquid Equilibrium!
As I said, and you willfully ignored it, THERE'S ALWAYS WATER VAPOR ABOVE THE LIQUID!!!
At any(!) temperature above absolute zero!
Your discussing this with a recently retired scientist for goodness sake.
Don't try to pretend you know more about the scientific PRINCIPLE as all the scientists in the last 100 years!

[LakeSuperiorView]

16. You are talking to a scientist as well.

The water vapor over the water in the container becomes a non factor as the water is thrown out of the container. Or or you claiming that it magically expands to cover the entire spray of water and forms the water vapor that condenses?

I understand what happens in the cloud. You are ignoring what creates the cloud.

Listen to what you yourself wrote "The water vapor near the boiling point is actually quite high, so that vapor condenses rapidly into aerosolized water droplets in 5 to 20 micron size. "

The water VAPOR condenses and freezes. The water thrown in the air vaporizes. To form the vapor that then condenses and freezes. If the water does not vaporize, it can not condense and freeze. Get the thought of being a teacher out of you mind and think about what is happening.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Do you know what aerosolize means?

I think not!
I'm giving you the physics behind why it works better with hotter water.
Sorry but your inability to grasp this basic concept is not my problem
You sure you bothered to try in physics or chemistry classes?

[LakeSuperiorView]

19. Do you know what water vapor is?

Sorry but your inability to get out of thinking you know everything is not my problem.

Look, water in pan. Small amount of water vapor over pan. Water is thrown in the air.

in your description, <something magic happens>

Magic water vapor from nowhere condenses and freezes.


Show your work professor. I'll give you a solid C for getting the right answer, but your lack of showing the entire process held down your grade.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. Th ou Know Nothing About Science

[LanternWaste]

28. Much as you failed to provide objective evidence to support your premise as well.

But, it's efficient to know you hold others to a higher standard than you hold yourself to. But, I imagine you'll rationalize that as magic too.

[LakeSuperiorView]

44. I don't what burr you have under your saddle, but you have provided absolutely nothing.

So why you think your opinion counts for anything, is beyond silly.

I'll give you a chance. You have water, then you have water vapor. Where did the water vapor come from? It's really easy, you can say it, the water ________?

Come on, the water ev______?

Really. The water evap_____?

No?

Oh well, come back and play sometime.

[Hortensis]

21. Lol. ProfessorGAC, give it up.

Some attempted interchanges do not fit the definition of discussion.

[ProfessorGAC]

25. Yeah

That poster said they were a scientist
To some, astrology is a science

[LakeSuperiorView]

26. To some, a bachelors in Chemistry and Biology is not disdained.

You still have not explained where your fricking condensing water vapor comes from. You are so hung up on the effect seen, and your grandiose thoughts of your own knowledge that you can't accept that to have water vapor, you first have to evaporate water. The air at -15 below has virtually no water vapor. Your magical cloud of condensing water vapor has to come from somewhere, but having expressed an opinion, you can't admit that the water vapor comes from... wait for it... water evaporating.

You can try to hide behind alternate words, but you can't have water vapor in dry air without evaporating water. It would be ridiculously naive to suggest that the small amount of water vapor over the container accounts for the the water vapor that condenses. It would be ridiculous to say that the water simply disappears into thin air.

I'm sorry, I'm going to have to downgrade you to a D-. Don't worry, I'll let you throw out your worst grade and maybe you can make it up on the final.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. Last Word

Duh!
For the last time, there is always vapor present
As the water is thrown, the droplets each have their own surface area.
At any given temperature, the air/water interface allows the liquid and vapor to come to equilibrium. So there is a boundary layer of vapor around each unit mass of water!
You're grading someone else when this wholly established principle of physical science completely eludes you.
I'm done trying to help the unteachable!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

35. Batman's a scientist too.

[LakeSuperiorView]

38. Where is his degree from? Is it an accredited school?

[Petosky Stone]

17. I showed my daughter and a group of her friends

...how to do that, decades ago. They spent the next hour "throwing water"...

right next to my car.

The next morning, I had an inch of solid ice all over my windshield.

[Hortensis]

22. :) Thanks for another view into that reality.

When I saw that, I really wished I could go out and try it.

I'm not a dumbass, either. I handle boiling water virtually every day in my kitchen, experience probably not everyone has.

[Hekate]

20. So insulting to Dumbasses, LakeSuperiorView. Be kind; they just can't help themselves.

[LakeSuperiorView]

23. Huh, I guess your favor dumbasses over people with allergies...

Don't worry, I don't judge people by the company they keep.

[LanternWaste]

29. What pretense leads you to allege your judgment is relevant?

You're gonna be fun.

[LakeSuperiorView]

30. Hmm, try going back and reading for content.

Feel free to sound out the words. I said I don't judge...

And buy a mirror, your question is more relevant to you...

[Blues Heron]

31. It does freeze, you're wrong

[LakeSuperiorView]

32. Hey read what the professor has said. Don't take my word for it.

It's condensing water vapor that is freezing.

Not water. Condensing water vapor. The water that is thrown up in the air magically disappears, somehow being replaced by magically appearing water vapor that then condenses and freezes.

So I guess that I am wrong, the water doesn't evaporate, it magically disappears...

Doug Henning would be so proud...

[Blues Heron]

34. That's right, you're wrong on this. No magic, just you

being wrong.

[LakeSuperiorView]

37. I am not the person that said the condensing water vapor freezes.

That was someone else. Now, he has been totally unable or unwilling to explain just where the water vapor comes from, maybe you can help him with that. How do you get water vapor in extremely dry air? How is that possible? If science can't explain it, it must be magic.

What we have is an unexplainable cloud of water vapor appearing out of nowhere, that then condenses and freezes. It isn't the boiling hot water that was thrown into the air, that just goes away. It's a mystery, I tell you.

[SoCalDem]

33. This is why I still love DU..

Dueling scientists only here would this happen..

Can you even imagine Freepers having this kind of disagreement

[lunatica]

40. I was just going to say "wow" three times and then

put this smilie here

[MrGrieves]

46. A lot more than 8 people do stupid things every day with far worse consequences

A lot more than 8 people do stupid things every day with far worse consequences. Alert the news media: Stupid people doing stupid things.