Originally Posted by: Lordathestrings[font=trebuchet ms]Given that water cannot possibly stay liquid at atmospheric pressure at more that 212 degrees F, I'd say the whole thing has a certain element of fantasy to it. So it all ties together with 'Diet' V8 & 'Low-Carb' bottled water, as anecdotal evidence that the world is coming to an end, doesn't it???[/font]

:confused:

Yes, it is true that water cannot exist in the liguid state above 212* F at atmospheric pressure. The coffee in the water, however, has pretty much the same chemical behavior as an aqueous solution of an ionic compound. The same way that salt on your driveway (if you live in a colder region) lowers the melting point of water and melts the ice; if you put salt in water and boil it, it raises the boiling point. Its the same with coffee. The change in enthalpy and the new boiling point of the solution all depends on the specific heat of the coffee grounds in the solution, which can be found with the equation C=E/g(delta *C) where C is the specific heat, E is energy absorbed, g is the mass of the sample in grams, and delta *C is the change in temperature measured in degrees C. The new boiling point will only be a few degrees higher, and won't make a big defferance if you spill it on yourself, but I just wanted to set the facts straight.