Re: Water Boil Water

["Rick Tarara" <rbtarara@sprynet.com>]

The theory would be that once the inner container reached 100 C with the
boiling water in the outer container at 100 C then there should be no net
conduction between the outer and inner container (delta T = 0) and thus (in
calorimetry terms--don't look Jim) no more net heat transfer occurs to the
inner container.  The inner container water reaches 100 C but does not boil.
It would be interesting to know what happens in a real experiment.

rick
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Su <att9092@singnet.com.sg>
To: phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu <phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu>
Date: Sunday, March 15, 1998 10:11 AM
Subject: Water Boil Water


> Hi,
>
> I have a question for you guys out there. This question was raised by
> my Head of Department (Science) who in turn was asked by a student
> who took part in the Australian Science Competition a year ago.
>
> We know water boils at 100 degress C.
> Suppose I have a glass bottle half-filled with water. I place this bottle
> (with no
> capping) into a pot of water that covers two-thirds of the bottle. Now I
> boil this
> pot of water (also not covered). Will the bottle of water boil?
>
> I thought it would. I did not try it out yet. But my HOD was actually
> trying out
> the experiment in his home when his grandmother came in to the kitchen, saw
> what he was doing, gave him a thorough scolding, and told him that the
> bottle of
> water will never boil in this way.
>
> My question is: Is she correct? If she is, what's the theory behind it?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Steven.