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The Superheating Mechanism Explained Superheating occurs when a liquid (like water) is heated above its normal boiling point (100°C/212°F at sea level) without actually boiling or forming visible bubbles. This creates a metastable (unstable) state —the water is hotter than it "should" be for a liquid, but it stays calm until disturbed. Why It Happens More Often in Microwaves Normal boiling (e.g., on a stove): Heat comes from the bottom, creating convection currents (hot water rises, cooler sinks). This agitation, plus scratches/impurities in pots, provides nucleation sites —tiny air pockets, scratches, or particles where steam bubbles can easily form and grow. Microwave heating : Microwaves excite water molecules directly and uniformly throughout the liquid (volumetric heating). There's little convection, and if the container is very smooth (e.g., a clean glass cup) and the water is pure/distilled: No nucleation sites → No easy places for bubbles to start. Water...