Steam burns hands more severely than boiling water due to the latent heat it contains; option [A]. Latent heat is the extra energy required to change water from liquid to vapor without changing its temperature. When steam comes into contact with the skin, it condenses back into liquid water, releasing this stored latent heat. This process transfers a significant amount of energy to the skin, which is much more than what boiling water would transfer at the same temperature. Boiling water only transfers heat at 100°C, but when steam condenses, it releases additional heat as it changes phase from gas to liquid. This results in a higher amount of energy being delivered to the skin, causing more severe burns. Therefore, the presence of latent heat in steam is the primary reason it causes more intense burns than boiling water.