Physics Uncovered on Instagram: "What you’re seeing is called quenching — one of the most dramatic processes in metallurgy. A piece of metal, glowing red-hot from being freshly forged, is plunged into water to cool and solidify. This rapid cooling forces the outer layers to contract faster than the inside, creating enormous thermal stress. 💥 At first, the surface is so hot that water instantly vaporizes, forming a layer of steam — the Leidenfrost effect — briefly insulating the metal. Once it c