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Posted on: January 6th, 2009
Rationalists Offer Scientific Explanation, Say Oil Wasn’t Boiling, It Was An Illusion
Bangalore/ Hubli: Was it hot or not?
That’s the burning question after recent incidents of babies being dunked in boiling water and bubbling oil. While God-fearing people call it a miracle, rationalists give a scientific explanation.
In Hubli on Sunday, Mohan Guru Swami, head priest of Lord Ayyappa Temple, boiled nearly 10 kg of oil and then dipped a year-old baby into the pan for a split second. Prof. Narendra Nayak, a post-graduate in medical biochemistry and national president, Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations told TOI that these are incidents of the bubbling oil effect.
“When two viscous liquids of different specific gravities are mixed and slightly heated, the heavier one creates an impression being brought to boil. Bubbles rise to the top and the froth-like formation coupled with fumes make people believe that it is boiling,’’ Nayak said. This is the Leidenfrost effect, in which a liquid, in near contact with a mass significantly hotter than its boiling point, produces an insulating vapour layer which keeps that liquid from boiling rapidly.
Miracle & Reality
- Nobody has checked temperature of boiling oil in Hubli
- A few lemons are squeezed and juice put in a frying pan
- Oil or water is added to it before heating
- As pan is heated, oil or water starts to bubble Onlookers get a feeling oil is boiling
- But it is only bubble effect
- Temperature of oil or water will not be more than room temperature
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