[Phys-L] Re: water and internal energy

[Robert Cohen <Robert.Cohen@PO-BOX.ESU.EDU>]

On Tuesday, February 22, 2005 10:25 AM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:

> I tell my students that steam burns at 100°C are more harmful
> than water burns at 100°C because the steam has more internal
> energy (latent heat -- mL). Similarly, water at 0°C has more
> internal energy that ice at 0°C. Phase changes (+Q) increase
> the internal PE of the atoms, but not the KE (since the
> temperature does not change).

If we assume the water/steam is maintained at a constant temp of 100°C, would it make a difference?  What if we assume that air has an insulating effect?

____________________________________________________
Robert Cohen; 570-422-3428; www.esu.edu/~bbq
East Stroudsburg University; E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301