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How to Create Steam

There are three basic phases of matter: solids, liquids and gases. Water is one of the few compounds to naturally exist in all three phases on Earth -- in the form of ice at temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, in liquid form at normal conditions, and in the form of steam (also called water vapor) at temperatures above 212 degrees. As water boils into steam, its volume increases and its density decreases -- boiling water in an sealed container will increase its internal pressure, possibly to the point of bursting its container.

Things You'll Need

Pot with vented cover
Stove

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a metal pot with water until it is halfway to 3/4 full. Place it on a stove top burner.
- 2
  Set the burner to a medium heat setting. Allow the water time to boil -- steam will begin drifting off the water surface as the temperature approaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 3
  Remove the pot from the burner and carefully place it on an unheated burner. Wait until the boiling activity ceases and then place a vented cover on the pot. Return the pot to the heated burner -- when the water returns to boiling temperature, the steam will forcefully pour from the vents since it will have less space to escape from.
- 4
  Turn off the heat and allow the water to cool before pouring it down the drain.

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