question_answer 44)

  Water as ice has a cooling effect, whereas water as steam may cause severe burns. Explain these observations.

Answer:

  When ice melts, it absorbs the energy equal to the latent heat of fusion from the surroundings therefore causes cooling effect. But steam releases the extra heat (equal to the latent heat of vaporization) which it has absorbed when water was converted into steam. So, steam produces severe burn.