Is steam a subtype of smoke? [closed]
There is, in current English a clear distinction between smoke and steam
OED
Steam: 6. a. The vapour into which water is converted when heated.
In popular language, applied to the visible vapour which floats in the air in the form of a white cloud or mist, and which consists of minute globules or vesicles of liquid water suspended in a mixture of gaseous water and air. (Also sometimes applied to the vapour arising from other liquids when heated.)
In modern scientific and technical language, [the word "steam" is] applied only to water in the form of an invisible gas. The invisible ‘steam’, in the modern scientific sense, is, when its temperature is lowered, converted into the white vapour called ‘steam’ in popular language, and this under continued cooling, becomes ‘water’ in the liquid form. dry steam, in Steam-engine working, steam containing no suspended vesicles of water: opposed to wet steam.
1884 C. E. Dutton in 4th Ann. Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. 1882–3 110 Condensed steam floating away in the form of white vapor.
1894 Times 15 Aug. 12/2 A boiler which supplies wet steam is a bad boiler, because wet steam is prejudicial to the efficiency of the engine.
1895 Model Steam Eng. 51 The purpose of the steam-dome is to collect the steam in as dry a condition as possible.
If you boil a kettle of water and observe what comes out of the spout at a pressure, the first few centimeter are invisible, this is steam. After this, the visible part - the cloud of steam - is technically not "steam" but "water vapour". Steam possesses a lot of energy - water vapour does not.
However, as you see from the definition above - these clouds of steam are usually called steam.
Smoke is, essentially, particulate matter:
smoke, n. 1. a. The visible volatile product given off by burning or smouldering substances.
α.1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 156 A large fire..filling the whole place with smoke.
1829 E. Bulwer-Lytton Devereux I. i. viii. 76 Don Diego, inhaling the fragrant weed..replied to the request of his petitioner by smoke.
1888 F. Hume Madame Midas i. v. 39 The smoke was pouring out thick and black from the tall red chimney.
Steam is not a subtype of smoke, any more than "fumes" would be.