Odd Courgette behaviour..

[MrMoonyMan]

So, I'm pretty up on most basic physics but confused by this:

I am currently cooking my dinner, part of which is a chopped courgette that I am boiling.

The water is bubbling gently. But when I push a courgette piece to the bottom of the saucepan it boils ferociously... Why?

[pacman06]

Never mind.


(thought it was being pushed somewhere else rather than a saucepan)

[otolith]

The physics of boiling can be quite complex - I would guess at some sort of nucleation effect.

Ever seen what can happen if you superheat water in the microwave then drop a teabag in it? Nasty.

[Cotty]

otolith said:

Ever seen what can happen if you superheat water in the microwave then drop a teabag in it? Nasty.

No, but now I want to.

[calibrax]

Cotty said:

No, but now I want to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgxze1K0G8Y

[Parsnip]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oykNmxuIRgg

I guess something to do with nucleation - from my hazy knowledge of heat transfer stuff.

The video above is (tenuously) related - ball is at a temperature way above the boiling point of water and is insulated by the air bubble created around it, once the ball cools a little, the heat transfer improves, the water has access to nucleation sites and thus boils. The explanation in your case could be that your pan is super shiny and provides few nucleation sites and when you stick the courgette in, it creates some.


Ok, the video isn't related to courgettes at all, but it looks cool

Edited by Parsnip on Monday 1st August 09:06

[Simpo Two]

It would cut down the possibilities if you tried other vegetables too.