STEAM

The steam is the state in which a is gas when it is at a lower level to that of its critical point; This refers to those pressure and temperature conditions above which it is impossible to obtain a liquid by compression. If a gas is below this point, this means that it is susceptible to condensation through a reduction in its temperature (keeping the pressure constant) or through pressurization (with constant temperature).

It is important to clarify that a gas is a substance that meets a well-defined characteristic: it does not have its own shape or volume. This allows it to conform to the shapes of the element that contains it or to disperse if it is not contained. In some special cases, such as steam, said gas can be condensed for easy handling; however, this is not a characteristic that all gases possess.

The steam is the gas obtained from the boiling (the physical process by which the entire mass of liquid is converted to the gaseous state) or evaporation (the same process, but that can be realized at a temperature indistinct and without the entire mass of the liquid reaching its boiling point ) of liquid water or of sublimation (the change from solid to gaseous state) of ice. This vapor is odorless and colorless.

Steam locomotives

From the Industrial Revolution many advances took place in the life of societies. Among them was the invention of steam as a source of energy for means of transport; This is how the steam locomotive arose that allowed movement thanks to the energy arising from the combustion of components such as coal or fuel oil in a boiler. Thus the water was heated and when it entered the boiling temperature, it generated a certain pressure that moved pistons that were connected to the wheels; these began to turn and made the carriage or locomotive move evenly.

The first steam locomotive was devised by Richard Trevithick in 1804 and managed to transport five wagons loaded with steel (10t) and passengers (70 people), at a speed of 8 km / h. He is credited with the creation of this means of transport, which meant an inescapable leap in the development of societies.
But there are many other names related to the steam locomotive and to advances in means of transportation, two of them are:

* John Blenkinsop - He was the one who designed the toothed rails so that the locomotive wheels would be fixed and could move safely. This model was used for many years and the current design of all rails derives from it.
* George Stephenson : He was the one who improved the combustion mechanism , creating the first modern steam locomotive that distributed heat more efficiently. It received the name Rocket and its working system was also used in later locomotives.

But finally, when locomotives that combined a diesel and electric system appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, based on the internal combustion of oil , the steam locomotives slowly fell into disuse.

It should also be mentioned that in the past many boats were powered by steam engines . These ships had steam boilers or turbines and cooled water condensers that allowed them to move without depending on currents or winds. Thanks to steam, the first transatlantic ships were created. At present, there are no longer any boats that use this method of propulsion.