Difference Between Water and Steam

Water vs Steam

Steam is just water in the form of gas (vaporized). In its most natural and purest state (without the addition of condensed water), it is a colorless or an invisible (transparent) gas; but ordinarily, most people identify it as the gas coming out from boiling water which seems to be colored white and is somewhat visible to the naked eye. The color of this mist is highly attributed to the condensation action of minute water droplets.

Because of its gaseous state, steam has looser molecules as opposed to water. Aside from its molecules being loose, it also moves faster. This is definitive of its characteristic as a gaseous state of matter. If steam is heated, its molecules even travel a lot faster than usual.

Steam has plenty of industrial uses. There is even a point in time where there was a steam revolution that paved way to rapid technological changes to man’s way of living. For example, steam has some practical application to travel and transportation. Steam engines are used to run trains by condensing steam to initiate a pumping power to the machine. There are also steam turbines widely used throughout the world today. These devices are of great help to generate electric power. A proof of its importance is how the U.S. has transformed their nation to a steam powered behemoth that rakes in more than 86% of its energy from steam. Also, autoclaving instruments is a must in medical experimentation and performing procedures. In this process, high pressured steam is used to sterilize the equipments.

In the most practical day to day use, steam is also utilized at home when cooking vegetables and when preparing desserts such as custards or flans. Because of its heat transfer property, steam is of great help domestically.

On the other hand, water equates to life, literally. Without it, there’s hardly any life form that can survive without it here on the planet. Water, by nature, is a little light blue to colorless looking. It has denser particles or molecules compared to steam. They travel much slower as compared to those of its gas counterpart.

Pinpointing the uses of water is absurd since there are just too many to mention. But just to state some, water is used for bathing, drinking, cooking, agricultural purposes, harnessing hydroelectricity for power and many others.

1. Steam is white to transparent in color while water is somewhat light blue to colorless.

2. Steam has looser molecules compared to water

3. Steam has faster moving molecules compared to water.

4. Steam is water in its gaseous state.

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