Matter changes state when energy is added or taken away. When matter is heated enough, the molecules move faster and with greater energy. If enough heat is added, a solid can become liquid and a liquid can become gas. In the same way, molecules slow down when they are cooled.

Energy, it can be added or taken away to make the particles move faster or slower. The faster the particles are moving, the more energy the substance has. How does taking away heat cause changes in matter? Taking away heat takes away energy and causes the particles to slow down.

When heat is added to a substance, the molecules and atoms vibrate faster. As atoms vibrate faster, the space between atoms increases. The motion and spacing of the particles determines the state of matter of the substance. Solids, liquids and gases all expand when heat is added.

If heat is removed from a substance, such as in freezing and condensation, then the process is exothermic. In this instance, heat is decreasing the speed of the molecules causing them move slower (examples: liquid to solid; gas to liquid). These changes release heat to the surroundings.

Adding Energy: When a solid is at its melting point, any energy added to it is used to overcome the attractions that hold the particles in place.

When steam cools, energy is removed from water molecules. As these molecules transfer their energy to the cooler surroundings, they move about much less, decreasing their kinetic energy. This decrease in kinetic energy cause water molecules to slightly stick together.

The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius. At this temperature the water will begin to change from the liquid state to the gas state. It is, therefore, possible to have both liquid water and steam that exist at 100 degrees Celsius.

Steam at 100°C contains more heat than water at 100°C. Specific heat is amount of heat required to change temperature of one kg of substance by one degree Celsius. Latent heat is amount of heat required to change state of substance without increase in temperature.

There’s more energy in the steam. So the energy in the steam is 9-fold greater than the energy in the same weight of water at the boiling point. This energy (as heat) is released when the steam condenses to water and the water cools to the temperature of skin. Steam will be substantially more injurious.

Steam burns are more dangerous than water burns because more heat is transferred due to the additional release of latent heat of condensation. Water requires a very large amount of heat to vaporize. For example, to vaporize 1 kg of water, a heat energy of 2257 kJ is required.

Summary: Even if the wound looks superficially harmless, steam burns must be cooled persistently. Researchers have now been able to show for the first time how hot steam achieves its vicious effect: it penetrates the upper skin layer and can cause severe burns in the lower skin layers — initially almost invisible.

Answer 1: When water goes from gas to liquid it is undergoing what is called a phase change. This energy release causes a much worse burn than if the same amount of boiling water were to hit your skin where it would decrease in temperature (to your skins temperature) but would not have to go through a phase change.

There are three levels of burns:

1. First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the skin. They cause pain, redness, and swelling.
2. Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.
3. Third-degree burns affect the deep layers of skin.

Steam is more likely to cause burn injuries than boiling water because of the latent heat of vaporization. Since water expands to approximately 1,600 times its volume when it turns from liquid to steam, steam often escapes its container under pressure.

Skin will become very red or splotchy and pain and swelling is usually noticeable. The Mayo Clinic recommends first gauging the size of the burn. If it is under three inches in diameter, the burn can be treated at home using OTC pain meds and cold compresses.

Mild burns typically take around a week or two to completely heal and usually don’t cause scarring. The goal of burn treatment is to reduce pain, prevent infections, and heal the skin faster.

Call your doctor if you experience: Signs of infection, such as oozing from the wound, increased pain, redness and swelling. A burn or blister that’s large or doesn’t heal in two weeks. New, unexplained symptoms.

A person with second degree sunburn may notice the following symptoms: skin that is deep red, especially on light skin. swelling and blistering over a large area. wet-looking, shiny skin.

Topic Overview

1. Rinse burned skin with cool water until the pain stops. Rinsing will usually stop the pain in 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Do not use ice or ice water, which can cause tissue damage.
3. Take off any jewelry, rings, or clothing that could be in the way or that would become too tight if the skin swells.

For Second-Degree Burns (Affecting Top 2 Layers of Skin)

1. Immerse in cool water for 10 or 15 minutes.
2. Use compresses if running water isn’t available.
3. Don’t apply ice. It can lower body temperature and cause further pain and damage.
4. Don’t break blisters or apply butter or ointments, which can cause infection.

Tell-Tale Signs of Infected Burn Any change in color of the burnt area or the skin surrounding it. Swelling with purplish discoloration. Increased thickness of the burn with it extending deep into the skin. Green discharge or pus.

5) Apply an antibiotic like Silvadene or Neosporin if you need it. If you do need a topical antibiotic, silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) is great but requires a prescription.

How to treat a first-degree, minor burn

1. Cool the burn. Immediately immerse the burn in cool tap water or apply cold, wet compresses.
2. Apply petroleum jelly two to three times daily.
3. Cover the burn with a nonstick, sterile bandage.
4. Consider taking over-the-counter pain medication.
5. Protect the area from the sun.

In rare cases, an infected burn can cause blood poisoning (sepsis) or toxic shock syndrome. These serious conditions can be fatal if not treated. Signs of sepsis and toxic shock syndrome include: a high temperature.

The red flag symptoms of sepsis are:

• New onset of confusion or altered mental state.
• High temperature.
• Fast heartrate.
• Fast and shallow breathing.

There are three stages of sepsis: sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.

Patients with severe sepsis have a high ongoing mortality after severe sepsis with only 61% surviving five years. They also have a significantly lower physical QOL compared to the population norm but mental QOL scores were only slightly below population norms up to five years after severe sepsis.

Most people make a full recovery from sepsis. But it can take time. You might continue to have physical and emotional symptoms. These can last for months, or even years, after you had sepsis.

People with sepsis often develop a hemorrhagic rash—a cluster of tiny blood spots that look like pinpricks in the skin. If untreated, these gradually get bigger and begin to look like fresh bruises. These bruises then join together to form larger areas of purple skin damage and discoloration.

Observable signs that a provider may notice while assessing a septic patient include poor skin turgor, foul odors, vomiting, inflammation and neurological deficits. The skin is a common portal of entry for various microbes.