c9: (Drumbone)
c9 ([personal profile] c9) wrote2007-01-03 07:47 pm
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Paging Bill Nye!

I just witnessed science! And I didn't understand it!! It was very startling!!!*

I boiled water for dinner, then turned off the element to wait for Vinny to get home. I saw his bus arrive, so I turned the element on again, and watched it start to bubble ever so slightly from one spot on the bottom. I took off the lid to get ready to put the pasta in, and a small piece of angel-hair pasta fell in early. The water instantly went to a violent boil, from nothing. Zoom!

Like I said: Science! (oooooo!)


* I buy my exclamation points in bulk these days.
thespos: (Augh!)

[personal profile] thespos 2007-01-04 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
Cool!

I think it has something to do with something called hydrostatic equilibrium... it's the same reason you should drop a spoon into water you have just heated in the microwave. If you disturb the equilibrium, the pressure between layers is of matter is released, allowing the water to boil.

I think.

I just remember the microwave thing. :-P

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2007-01-05 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you scientist-type person!

[identity profile] oldgrover.livejournal.com 2007-01-04 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
I imagine the water was super heated (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superheating) - mostly happens in the microwave, but I suppose it could happen on the stove in the right circumstances

-og

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2007-01-05 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you scientist-type person!

[identity profile] quingawaga.livejournal.com 2007-01-04 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
The pasta provided nucleation points (oooo, big words). The wikipedia article that [livejournal.com profile] oldgrover pointed to explains it better than I ever could.

[identity profile] c9.livejournal.com 2007-01-05 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you scientist-type person!