Explain to me how lab statistics would help? Then explain how you could generate useful statistics using the extremely non-standardized settings of every unique household in the world?

Now that the absurdity of wanting statistics is set aside… Microwave caused superheating of water is a well studied and understood phenomenon. There are things that reduce the likelihood, sure: air bubbles created by modern low-flow taps, general impurity of tap water, and scratches in used containers all provide nucleation points and reduce the likelihood of superheating.

All it takes is jossling a new mug so the air bubbles all float out, with a particularly clean supply of city water (or filtered is a common culprit) and that thing you’ve been doing for years blows up in your face at 105^oC.

Because technically the steam is dissolved in the water above its saturation point, right? If the gas were (say) CO2 instead of steam, wouldn’t “supersaturated” be the correct term?

If the gas were CO₂ instead of steam, CO₂ would be the solute, and water the solvent. In that case the term supersaturated would make sense because the solvent contains more solute than it can handle under normal conditions. The steam is not disolved in the water. The microwaved water is unable to form steam in the first place due to a lack of available nucleation sites.

I thought superheating referred to heating water over 100º by pressurizing it

That isn’t superheating. The boiling point of a given substance naturally varies with pressure. Liquid water at 200^oC while pressurized sufficiently isn’t superheated. It is just hotter than you expect it to be. That technique can be used to superheat something like water if heated over it’s atmospheric boiling temperature while pressurized and then lowering the pressure without agitating it.

That’s not what is happening. If you drop a bag into water the whole bag gets wet and seals the air inside causing it to float.

Slowly lower the bag into the water so the air can escape through the dry top and it’ll sink.

Thx Tips. Waiting 15 seconds is no guarantee the water isn’t superheated. If you actually want to ensure microwaved water won’t erupt put a wooden toothpick or spoon in it while nuking.

It is not simply ‘just another method to heat water’. There is a significant difference between microwaving and kettle/stovetop. Microwaving risks superheating resulting in flash boiling causing an explosion of steam and boiling water. This is also why microwaved water has foam appear when inserting anything into it. Bubbles that ‘should’ have formed didn’t and are now doing so at the nucleation points whatever you inserted provided.

That foam, while an indication the water was close to erupting, is otherwise harmless but ruins the tea/coffee for me and I’m sure others too.

superheated, not supersaturated.

It’s because Fuck The USA.

To be clear, we mean their government and those… uninformed enough to allow these representatives to be voted in. It’s like watching a relative succumb to dementia and wanting to help but can’t.

Also, much of the rhetoric has been switching to ‘it is about the tariffs’. It. Is. Not. About. The tariffs. Trade wars aren’t fun, but we can live without trade to the US.

It is about the President disrespecting our Government and sovereignty. That is inexcusable from such a close ally.