"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
m...
>
>
> "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
> > > > Why does covering the can make it safer?
> > >
> > > Water under normal pressure conditions will not exceed 212 degrees
(the
> > > boiling point). The water prevents the contents from getting too hot
and
> > > exploding the can.
> > >
> > > Dimitri
> >
> > I understand that part. I just question why Brian claims that the can
has
> > to be completely submerged.
>
> Much cross posting snipped
> Only thing I can think of is even cooking of the contents. If the can is
> out of the water, it will be exposed to steam at 212, but no higher. I
> don't see how else the contents would be affected. Am I missing
something?

I don't think so. The post that I quested said that the can would explode
if it wasn't completely submerged. It seems to me that having part of the
can exposed would actually reduce the internal temperature and the pressure.
The can would act like a radiator. Since PV=NRT, the pressure would have to
be lower in a cooler can since the rest of the parameters (V,N, and R) would
be constant.