Quick Science Lesson: Water and the Boiling Point
Under normal heating conditions, water cannot heat past its boiling point, which is 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Any hotter than that, and the water converts to steam. Thus, as long as liquid water remains in the pot, the water will absorb the heat from the heating mechanism, not the rice. Because the water cannot get any hotter than 212 degrees, the pot cannot get hotter than 212 degrees.
From eHow
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