If water boils at 100°C, and boiling is the process of turning liquid into gas, why are bathrooms full of steam when showering at only 40°C?

Question

If water boils at 100°C, and boiling is the process of turning liquid into gas, why are bathrooms full of steam when showering at only 40°C?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Because the water doesn’t need to be at boiling point to evaporate! Warm water increases the rate of evaporation, and a hot shower becomes a steamy room because it’s full of tiny water droplets suspended in the air, aka humidity. Plus, showers are basically little steam machines since it’s a confined space with constant heat.