Which would cause a more serious burn: 30 g of steam or 30 g of liquid water, both at 100 °C; and why is this so?
A)Water, because it is denser than steam.
B)Steam, because of its specific heat capacity.
C)Steam, because of its latent heat of vaporization.
D)Water, because its specific heat is greater than that of steam.
E)Either one would cause a burn of the same severity since they are both at the same temperature.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Steam at 100 °C has a much higher latent heat of vaporization than liquid water at 100 °C. This means that steam carries more energy per unit of mass than liquid water at the same temperature. Therefore, if the same amount of steam and liquid water were to come in contact with the same area of skin, the steam would transfer more energy to the skin, causing a more serious burn.

Which Would Cause a More Serious Burn: 30 G of Steam