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In some cases, it’s possible to heat a liquid beyond its boiling point. This is known as
a superheated liquid. Such a situation is highly unstable and can result in a dangerous
release of energy when boiling suddenly commences. The rapid formation of gases will cause the
liquid to "bump" or even splash out of a container. An explosion of hot liquid would be a serious
safety hazard! To prevent such a situation, we have to do
something to help a hot liquid boil evenly. This can be achieved by using a boiling chip,
which provides a surface on which liquid molecules can convert to gas molecules. Stirring the
mixture with a stirrer and a magnetic stirbar is another common way to avoid forming a superheated
liquid. Don’t forget to use a boiling chip every time you heat a liquid, and NEVER add
a boiling chip to a liquid which is already hot, as this can easily cause rapid boiling
and splashing.