tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post1695333582235506307..comments2023-08-09T04:26:24.037-06:00Comments on Pinstrosity: Erupting Hot CocoaMarquettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09112633611070405863noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-33917688606974172102014-02-15T19:01:22.358-07:002014-02-15T19:01:22.358-07:00It just happened to me! Thanks for reminding me o...It just happened to me! Thanks for reminding me of the Mythbusters episode. I must have remembered that, but forgotten. After heating water in the microwave, I forgot about it. It had cooled down, so I heated it again. It was very hot when I took it out, but it didn't boil over in the microwave. I put it on the counter, started to empty the cocoa mix into the mug and WHOOSH! Half the water erupted onto the counter. "What the heck just happened?" I asked myself. "It's like I heated the water beyond the point of boiling, so it was just in some kind of resting state, then when I added the cocoa mix, it was like some kind of chemical reaction!" I knew I couldn't be the only person who's experienced this, so I Googled: "cocoa mix into very hot water erupted" and first thing that popped up was your blog! Thanks for clearing that up!wakkannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550886304601283579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-34791838483324810182013-02-02T05:18:11.271-07:002013-02-02T05:18:11.271-07:00I have never had this happen. Then again, I knew s...I have never had this happen. Then again, I knew someone who had scrambled eggs blow up in her face when she opened the microwave (she had 1st degree burns). Ever since I was a teen, I've never heated anything up for an extended period. Instead, I do 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 20 more, etc. For water, I usually only do a minute 30, let it sit about 20 seconds, add in my cocoa, then warm it up about 10 more seconds. Same method with milk - which is oh so good!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-32776965534506033322013-01-29T22:54:45.379-07:002013-01-29T22:54:45.379-07:00I remember a couple years ago the local news chann...I remember a couple years ago the local news channel talked about this. Totally forgot all about it until this last Christmas when we were making hot chocolate several times a day. No tea kettle so I used the microwave. Several times the hot water would erupt when I added the powder. Not sure why-we have very hard water. I do know it was uber cold, like down into the negative teens. I have not had volcanic action since then so I wonder if (somehow) the cold air had some affect.Alaskan Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09290899753150016680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-51752164744545081252013-01-28T14:42:16.521-07:002013-01-28T14:42:16.521-07:00My coworker had this happen to her a few weeks ago...My coworker had this happen to her a few weeks ago. Unfortunately it was on the stove and she put pine sol in the water. She tried taking it off before it boiled and it exploded. She burned 80% of her cornea and half of her face. <br /><br />I clean my microwave with baking soda and water. Fill up a bowl then microwave for 5 minutes (I usually do 2, a minute resting, then follow up with a minute on and a minute off) always put toothpicks in the water to help the bubbles form. My mom always thought this was crazy. Water in the microwave truly scares me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-49880586189739541752013-01-21T22:30:49.457-07:002013-01-21T22:30:49.457-07:00My mom told me about this when I was little (it ha...My mom told me about this when I was little (it happened to a friend of hers) and so I always poke the surface of my microwaved water with a spoon while keeping a safe distance. Also I try to jiggle the mug a bit to create bubbles and thus nucleation sites, but I expect they must pop in the microwave before the water boils and I'm wasting my time on that one. Old habits die hard.<br /><br />Someone mentioned supercooling of water-- just last week I was in a convenience store and discovered that all the water bottles on the top shelf of the fridge had supercooled. We squished each and every one of them to watch the ice crystals spread. It took about four seconds for a 600mL bottle to go solid.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04804973171213573388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-36981297941699824722013-01-21T09:24:12.861-07:002013-01-21T09:24:12.861-07:00I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but I...I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but I had something similar happen to me while making spaghetti. I was making the sauce and boiling the water behind it. The sauce took longer than I expected, so I just turned the water down instead of going ahead and making the noodles. Anyway, long story short, I added the noodles to the not quite boiling again, but still hot water, and the water exploded out of the pot and all over in my sauce! I was about to pull my hair out! But at least it was on the back burner. I've had second and third degree burns before, and they are not fun. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-79731677072666962082013-01-21T08:21:16.781-07:002013-01-21T08:21:16.781-07:00Perhaps this is an American thing - but does no on...Perhaps this is an American thing - but does no one have electric kettles out there? Over here (UK) every household has an electric kettle and wouldn't dream of heating a mug of water in the microwave! Very dangerous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-49022537883630835462013-01-19T20:23:23.773-07:002013-01-19T20:23:23.773-07:00Very interesting! I learned something today--- th...Very interesting! I learned something today--- thanks for sharing!Hot Chocolate Blisshttps://hotchocolatebliss.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-17892567068806146342013-01-19T16:13:26.564-07:002013-01-19T16:13:26.564-07:00Agreed, this is the safest way to heat water in th...Agreed, this is the safest way to heat water in the microwave. I have had tap water superheat on me more than once growing up. And as a physics teacher, this is something I've done as a controlled experiment before as well.Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12361523309019208232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-51614143926700755312013-01-19T10:28:55.962-07:002013-01-19T10:28:55.962-07:00Just FYI, adding table salt will actually raise th...Just FYI, adding table salt will actually raise the boiling point of water, not lower it. It will also give it a lower freezing point which is why it's used on icy roads.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-6911999739464029822013-01-19T08:43:55.797-07:002013-01-19T08:43:55.797-07:00You can always put a little of whatever you're...You can always put a little of whatever you're making into the water first. If you put a little bit of cocoa or sugar or salt or whatever in there, you can be sure there are nucleation sites.Reinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-53959783302864698832013-01-18T03:14:34.823-07:002013-01-18T03:14:34.823-07:00I haven't had it explode on me, luckily. But I...I haven't had it explode on me, luckily. But I have had several instances of the water I was heating in the microwave spontaneously exploding while it was still heating. It only started happening in the last year, oddly enough. Nothing is different now from what it always had been, so not sure why I'm seeing explosions now. I use well water which should have impurities in it. I know for sure there's dissolved calcium and a little iron in it. I think the automatic turntable in the microwave provided just enough movement or sloshing to get it to explode while it's still running. <br /><br />Interestingly, there's a similar phenomenon with super cooled water where if there's no nucleation site for the ice crystals to form, the water can be well below freezing and still liquid. Usually with a little agitation, the water will freeze solid within seconds. This happens most often with purified bottled water. I've seen it happen with a bottle I forgot about in the freezer. Really cool reaction (pardon the pun, lol).<br />-Heatherchupacabrita77https://www.blogger.com/profile/06391660717182464500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-74925470075822495912013-01-17T23:44:48.281-07:002013-01-17T23:44:48.281-07:00Hmmm, i once bit in to a hard "boiled" e...Hmmm, i once bit in to a hard "boiled" egg, I cooked in the microwave and it exploded all over my face, giving me 2nd degree burns...does that count?chickenrotinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00928119990102711332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-20039691545357431992013-01-17T15:27:25.883-07:002013-01-17T15:27:25.883-07:00Ditto that! Myth: Confirmed!Ditto that! Myth: Confirmed!Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11475034623757454519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-746913047977895952013-01-17T10:41:25.301-07:002013-01-17T10:41:25.301-07:00We both read an article on that just the other day...We both read an article on that just the other day! Hooray for orange and hot cocoa!Marquettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09112633611070405863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-14105233152343004372013-01-17T10:32:42.132-07:002013-01-17T10:32:42.132-07:00So glad you weren't hurt. But on a totally fli...So glad you weren't hurt. But on a totally flippant topic related to the first sentence of you post:<br /><br />Did you know that hot chocolate tastes better out of an orange mug? So say the researchers! Sounds like a great excuse to combine a couple of things you love :-)KThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15443995861583659223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-60481869913622917142013-01-17T08:14:41.591-07:002013-01-17T08:14:41.591-07:00I avoid the superheated water by skipping water al...I avoid the superheated water by skipping water altogether. Hot cocoa just tastes soooo much better when you make it with milk! Simply heat up milk in the microwave just like you would do with water. Richer, creamier hot chocolate.<br /><br />And if you happen to have whole milk on hand (we did when the kids were toddlers), try that once in a while for an extra-decadent treat! Not great for the waistline, but oh so good!Sandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04014490372296000495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-4637456831701749222013-01-17T06:00:37.588-07:002013-01-17T06:00:37.588-07:00I havent had a microwave for at least 9yrs.. Ive f...I havent had a microwave for at least 9yrs.. Ive found its easier just to use my kettle to boil water and heat food on the stove. Nuked stuff tastes strange to me.<br />But my hubby bought me a Tassimo T65 for my birthday and I can get straight hot water from that amazing little machine quicker then even a microwave =) Jen.J.P. https://www.blogger.com/profile/13671585322928672396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-65588556132531935302013-01-17T03:13:35.968-07:002013-01-17T03:13:35.968-07:00In the lab we heat the agarose in the microwave to...In the lab we heat the agarose in the microwave to get it to dissolve and swirling it around causes it to boil more, which is why you make agarose in a container double the volume that you're making.<br /><br />The worst in-microwave explosion I've had was coomassie (blue dye) and SDS (detergent) - forgot to take the cap off the tube. Blue soapy stuff went all over the microwave. Oops.CarinBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16963720146125839377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-61586150322620320562013-01-17T00:09:31.633-07:002013-01-17T00:09:31.633-07:00Two words: electric kettle. Seriously, could save ...Two words: electric kettle. Seriously, could save you a serious scald someday, so fast and easy to use you might just need that 12-step program after all. I love my Capresso - form meets function. :). Stay safe!Jennifer Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14530705012021207245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-54300684477629803702013-01-16T21:03:20.939-07:002013-01-16T21:03:20.939-07:00I am glad you were not hurt. I have had this happe...I am glad you were not hurt. I have had this happen to me and I use a chopstick to stir it in the microwave before I remove it. That way I'm far enough away, and its contained in the microwave if it does go off. Just so people know, its not just water, any liquid heated in the microwave can do this. Moonflwr912https://www.blogger.com/profile/00459459420314285890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-45415939141712020672013-01-16T19:59:23.917-07:002013-01-16T19:59:23.917-07:00DulcetDiscord beat me to it, but I was also going ...DulcetDiscord beat me to it, but I was also going to suggest adding salt. Just a little bit. I expect you could also get the same effect by adding sugar or even a little of your cocoa mix. You just want to give the water a little impurity. Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780514670396823954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-52660784796970873842013-01-16T17:14:44.040-07:002013-01-16T17:14:44.040-07:00Wooh! Mythbusters!Wooh! Mythbusters!Riverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06445647889823884405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-50200493793210375582013-01-16T14:33:00.962-07:002013-01-16T14:33:00.962-07:00One of the easiest ways to prevent this is also a ...One of the easiest ways to prevent this is also a cool way to make a chocolate drink taste better. Put salt in your water. Regular old table salt. It lowers the boiling point as well as gives the heated molecules something to attach to, so as long as you watch for the boil and stop it soon after it starts (or before, if you don't need it that hot) you'll never end up with exploded water in your face.DulcetDiscordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03859268302466528204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299578764487881408.post-78329384769538645422013-01-16T12:30:18.726-07:002013-01-16T12:30:18.726-07:00I had it happen, but with a tea kettle on the stov...I had it happen, but with a tea kettle on the stove. It went way past boiling, and exploded all over my chest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com