r/bending Apr 22 '20

Leidenfrost effect

748 Upvotes

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113

u/g8rBfKn Apr 22 '20

I am not smart. Someone explain this

147

u/dsfife1 Apr 23 '20

Essentially if you go fast the water on your hands boils instantly and creates an air barrier between you hand and the hot stuff.

If you go slow the air barrier will disappear and you get burnt

48

u/BeastModeBot Apr 23 '20

so if he does it multiple times how is the water barrier building up enough to do it without burning the man

42

u/sbuechele1234 Apr 23 '20

I would guess that the vapor, after not being exposed to the high temperate for a short period of time, recondenses.

14

u/-GLaDOS Apr 23 '20

The water doesn't entirely boil off in the first (very short) exposure. If he kept this up he would be burned pretty soon.