I take a lot of hot showers, and sometimes I find myself wondering why I am able to breathe in the steam around me and not worry about any water-in-lungs related health concerns. How is breathing in steam different than breathing in small amounts of water droplets?
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Be aware that when you see a misty cloud around hot water, like a kettle or shower, the thing that you’re seeing is *not* steam but tiny drops of liquid water. Hot water does produce steam but, released into the air, it quickly cools and so turns back into liquid. Even your warm lungs can add their water to the air and, in cold weather, you can see this condensing as you breathe out.
There is steam (AKA water vapor) in the air but you generally can’t see it. On a warm humid day the air you’re breathing can be 3% steam.
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