Rolling boil has barely any steam?
I'm trying to reduce a sauce I've got but I noticed something interesting.
When I raise the heat so the sauce is at a full rolling boil, there is barely any steam coming out so I presume there is little reduction happening.
However, when I reduce the heat to a slow gentle boil, there is quite a lot of steam coming off, so there is a lot more reduction happening.
Why is this the case?
Best Answer
Physics to the rescue:
Contrary to popular belief you cannot see steam.
What you can see is tiny droplets of water that were steam (= gaseous form of water) before, but have condensed (= returned to liquid state) again on very small particles like dust motes. If the amount of droplets is big enough in a certain volume of air, they become visible. In other words, you have created a small cloud in your kitchen.
Now back to your pot:
- If the pot is simmering, a lot of water will condense over or near the pot, especially if your kitchen is rather cool.
- At a full boil, the steam disperses more, so when the condensation happens, the tiny droplets are spread out wider, making the "cloud" harder to see. Also, the air around the pot is likely to be a bit warmer, so that the gaseous H2O will likely condense at a greater distance from the source anyway.
This may lead to the assumption that a boiling pot emits less steam when actually the opposite is the case.
If you want to verify this, look for condensation away from the heat source, e.g. your cool kitchen windows. There, the different amounts should be very obvious.
Pictures about "Rolling boil has barely any steam?"
How can you tell if water is on a rolling boil?
A rolling boil (top right) is a vigorous state of maintained boiling in which large bubbles erupt continuously on the surface of the liquid and cannot be disrupted by stirring or adding ingredients. Clouds of steam roll off the surface of the water, and the boil is audible.How long does a rolling boil take?
Boiling water sounds no-brainer simple, but Twitter went nuts with queries on Sunday when the advice went out to boil tap water. The bottom line: A rolling boil for one minute kills bacteria, viruses and protozoa that may be in the water.Is a rolling boil hotter than a boil?
A \u201crolling boil\u201d simply means that a lot of water changes to vapor (indicates by large bubbles and a lot of movement in the pot), a gentle simmer means a small amount. The temperature is always the same.Why is it taking so long to boil water?
Truth: Hot water boils faster. But it might heat faster if it starts higher. If you're in a hurry, turn your tap to the hottest setting, and fill your pot with that hot tap water. It'll reach boiling a bit faster than cold or lukewarm water. You can also get the water even hotter by using your electric kettle.\
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Images: Gary Barnes, Gary Barnes, Klaus Nielsen, Katerina Holmes