why does water turn into steam st 40°C

Question

For example a 40°c shower can turn water into water vapour even though the boiling point is 100°C

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

To be even simpler than some.of the other (correct) answers here:

Water vapour is not steam.  

Steam is completely invisible, and you only get that made at high temperatures.  Water vapour makes clouds of stuff that you can see, and can be made at much lower temperatures.

The confusion comes when you have invisible steam coming out of a kettle and it turns into vapour when it hits the cooler air and becomes visible as vapour.

Your shower is making vapour, not steam.