Water is one of the vitally important things in our life that drives all mother nature’s force. We cannot imagine one day without water, and we call it our second life.
Many people might think about the danger in the water, but do you know that many people die or have an accident every year. Because some people do not know the jeopardy of using transparent, odorless, and colorless components, water!
We use water every day, and it saves people’s lives, but there are some risks which you can find and know that it helps to put out the fire.
So let me tell you more about the features of flammability of the water.
so What is Water?
The most abundant compound on this planet is water (almost 71% alone). Every living organism needs its direct presence to sustain its life. That’s why everyone looks into the water in outer space first.
Water is made of two gaseous elements – hydrogen and oxygen. Two hydrogen atoms pair up with one oxygen atom to form water. And the compound remains in a liquid state at average temperatures.
It’s impossible to think of anything without water. Every industry produces all the gadgets/devices to use water at specific steps. Anything that doesn’t need water also depends on H2O indirectly.
The relative heat of water is considerably high. It means you’re to spend considerable energy to increase minimal water temp. That’s why it’s a popular coolant and universal fire extinguisher.
Is water flammable? Can You Burn Water?
Water is not flammable. We all know that it is made of two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen. You have to oxidize fuel when it is connected with something related to flammability. Hydrogen is flammable and fully oxidized, whereas oxygen is not flammable, so oxygen cannot react with other molecules anymore.
It is not flammable under any condition. There will be no more water if you separate the hydrogen and oxygen completely.
What makes water flammable?
Water does not catch fire in normal conditions. Still, suppose the liquid is above its flashpoints [the lowest temperature at which the liquid’s vapor will catch fire when applying a burning source].
In that case, it may catch fire and no temperature at which water will catch fire. But, unfortunately, you can’t burn pure water as it is only made up of only two components, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Why is water flammable?
Water is already a combustion product. It takes out a large amount of energy, which has different components when it becomes thoroughly water. It is just simple hydrogen and oxygen. Water molecules are already oxidized when they bond with oxygen.
- In the water, H-H bonds and O=O are broken in the hydrogen.
- While producing water with two O-H bonds, Oxygen molecules are also broken, which gives out additional energy.
At What Temperature Does It Ignite?
The non-combustible compound doesn’t ignite in its pure state. Even the harshest condition can’t cause the ignition to destabilize the molecular structure. Therefore, no ignition temperature exists for water.
Can fire burn underwater?
Yes, fire can burn underwater if you have enough fuel and oxidizer and sufficient heat to burst into flame and have torches that can burn underwater. Some of the fuel produces oxygen itself.
Can you catch water on fire?
We can’t catch water on fire because it breaks it down into hydrogen and oxygen, applying more energy as an electric current. However, when you are reacting hydrogen and oxygen in our environment, it has already caught fire. Water is a fire extinguishing capacity and takes in heat under 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is It a Fire Hazard?
Pure tap or drinking water possesses no fire hazard. Instead, people and firefighters throw water to contaminate fire breakouts. Still, water can worsen the condition during chemical fire breakouts.
Many chemicals react violently with water. Also, the water molecules can break into individual oxygen and hydrogen. It’s a must to know if the fire breakout has anything to do with flammable chemicals.
How Do You Put Out a Water Fire?
There’s no such thing as water fire under any condition. Normal fire resulting from foam, cushions, clothing, and wood can’t last with water. But it’s not the case for already mentioned chemical fires.
Water creates a layer between the burning solid/semi-solid and the air. That’s where the flame can’t have the necessary oxygen. Sometimes, it’s the opposite state due to high temp and chemical alteration.
Common people often tend to throw water without thinking. But storage facilities or manufacturing plants require careful firefighting. Throwing water into many compounds can worsen the flame.
Don’t ever try to use polluted or wastewater in the fire. Too many dissolved and floating compounds are present there. It can cause a violent reaction in the high temps to cause further breakouts.
What is the Flashpoint and Melting Point?
Water is neither a combustible nor a flammable chemical compound. Only flammable and combustible materials can have flashpoints. So, there’s no flashpoint for pure, tap, or drinking water in existence.
Meanwhile, the standard melting point of water is 0C or 273K. But it can hold the frozen state for up to 5C. Water’s standard or recognized melting point may vary due to atmospheric pressure differences.
Can Water Explode on Fire?
Water itself can explode in its boiling state due to immense pressure. But water shouldn’t explode on fire in any condition, especially in a normal fire. It has non-flammable and non-combustible properties.
Likewise, this fact can change in the event of a chemical fire. Many chemicals can become more violent and flammable in the presence of water. And it leads to serious explosions coinciding with the quantity.
There are many cases of controllable fire getting out of hand with water. Normal household fire is one thing for water. But adding water to a chemical fire is like adding fuel to the already-burning inferno.
Should you throw water on fire?
Most people may think fire is the best extinguisher for stopping fire or burning. Still, if you try to throw water on the fire, it may scatter fire, and it is good for you if you do not throw water onto a fire as an extinguisher.
You have to face many situations while you are trying to stop the fire, and you should understand the types of fire and the method of fading away fire.
- Kitchen fires
- Campfires
- Electrical fire
I would also like to briefly apprise the prevention of the different types of fire in brief.
Kitchen fires:
To the best of my knowledge, the kitchen is the commonest place where fire catches up. You may fall asleep keeping food in the oven or putting food on the stove for a long time. Then, after some time, it BOOMS!
At that moment, what can you do? For this, you should take some steps to prevent the scattering of fire!!
- Keep the flammable objects isolated from the heat sources
- Wear an apron or suitable clothing
- Control the temperature of the cooking
- Always keep your kitchen neat and tidy
Campfire:
Campfire sounds interesting and fun but do you know the dangers of this? So, you have to take and know about some prevention.
- Do not leave a campfire unwatched
- Keep the fire out accordingly
- Know the rules of fire and campaign ground
- Use confined brushwood
Electrical fire:
Without a doubt, electrical fires are chancy which can burn even your internal part of the body, or it may put an end to your life. Knowing some of the prevention tips will help you.
- Refurbish your electrical system
- Don’t plug-in appliances with mutilated power cables.
- Don’t neglect the indication of a mutilated charger or anything
- Keep calefaction emitted appliances uncorked when unused.
Also Read: Is Canola Oil Highly Flammable?
Is pure oxygen flammable?
Pure oxygen is not flammable, which functions as an oxidizer and also an agent of combustion. However, it is still a fire hazard because it can bring about other materials to flare quickly and smoothly. Therefore, always try to keep the oxygen circular solid and aqueous oxygen from the flammable objects.
Can you burn water while cooking?
Burning water is impossible as it just vaporizes, but it can be very perilous if the water pops up from the pan or pitcher as it will make a kitchen very messy, or your hands can burn and damage your stoves due to the explosion of the excessively hot water.
Moreover, boiling water can ensue due to the steam referred to as scaled when it burns your pain. This cannot be burned because it is hitherto burned [basically burned hydrogen in the water].
Water is the combustion of hydrogen.
Can you burn boiling water?
Yes, you can burn boiling water. If you overheat the boiling water, water may make contact with your skin and cause serious burning. So, you should carefully boil the water systemically. Then, just after 20 minutes, turn off the stove.
Can water be combusted?
Water can be combusted as water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Water maintains combustion. Without oxygen, water cannot be combusted. A combustion reaction is a reaction with oxygen.
Fuel + oxygen →carbon dioxide + water
Does ice catch fire?
Ice catches fire. I will explain the overall procedure to give you a clear idea of how ice can catch fire.
There are some steps you have to follow. For this, you need:
- Cubes of ice
- Big bowl
- Calcium carbide
First, you have to sprinkle a chemical known as calcium carbide onto the ice inside the bowl. It makes contact with water and starts to produce misty fumes that are extremely flammable, and it is very hot, and you can feel the warmth if you are even away from this.
Calcium carbide has two elements: calcium and triple bond carbon; add this with some water. It will start to break into pieces, and calcium comes off, which forms hydroxide. Also, hydrogen pops up and produces acetylene gas (ethyne). Fire catches fire when just put little calcium carbide. This is very hot and ultimately forms a very hot black residue, a kind of powdery texture.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does water increase ignition temperature?
The presence of water can primarily increase the ignition temp of other compounds.
Why is water not used in controlling electrical fires?
Water’s excellent electrical conductivity poses serious lethal threats.
What kind of fires can’t be put out by water?
Water can’t put out oil/petroleum fires due to its lightweight mass.
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you a clear idea of the flammability and some important information about the water. This will help you to prepare yourself as a firefighter in the near future.
