Water Vapor and Steam
Date: Thursday, August 22, 2002
I was taught in my high school physics class, while experimenting
with a whistler type tea kettle, that steam is the invisible matter that
exits at the hole and a fraction of an inch later it cools, condenses and
is just water vapor. My daughter's Third Grade teacher told her this is
wrong and that the portion that you can see is steam. If you can help
settle this, I would appreciate it greatly.
Water vapor (steam) is colorless, and the gas that is IMMEDIATELY outside
of the kettle spout.
The "cloud" or mist is water vapor that has condensed into liquid. It
often takes on a foggy appearance.
---Nathan A. Unterman
Click here to return to the Physics Archives
Update: June 2012