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Why isn't water flammable?

Why isnt water flammable?

  • Hydrogen is extremely flammable right and things burn in oxygen water = oxygen + hydrogen

  • Answer:

    H2O is a Compound (Oxidised Hydrogen). The Elements making up a Compound have VERY different Properties to those of the Elements of their make up. Hydrogen is a Flammable gas, Oxygen gas is NOT. When they combine chemically, the product is a non-flammable liquid H2O which can be used to put out a fire. The 'H' has aleady been oxidised (burned), it can't be oxidised again and 'O' doesn't oxidise. As there's no 'C' involved, CO2 can't happen. (Look at Sodium (Na). With water it becomes highly reactive to form NaOH, a very corrosive liquid and Hydrogen gas. Chlorine (Cl) is a poisonous gas. When Na and Cl combine chemically, they form the compound NaCl...Salt..which you use on your dinner and you swim in water full of it....VERY different to the original Na and Cl elements !!

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When something burns it combines with oxygen. Water is the result to hydrogen "burning"... it already combined with oxygen. You really could say that it already burnt and therefore will not burn again.

bom_chicka_whawha

Yes hydrogen is flamable but for something to "burn" there must be oxygen and the process of burning involves oxygen forming compounds and molecules, this is called oxidation. Hydrogen is already oxidised so it will never burn unless hydrogen and oxygen is split.

wgh

Water is not a fuel. A fuel is something that when combined with oxygen (which is always present in a combustion reaction) will burn. Fuels are: 1. carbon, hydrogen & oxygen 2. carbon and oxygen 3. carbon and hydorgen, 4. coal 5. oil 6. gas 7. carbohydrater with carbon, hydrogen & oxygen The formula for combustion is fuel + O2 with heat as a catalyst = water, carbon dioxide.

Pandra

"Its too wet. Very difficult to make wet things burn, and when you dry out water, it sort of disappears." - Alex (on top) What are you saying? Water is too wet, so it can't be burned? Well, water is a substance which makes things wet, not something to be wet itself..... When you dry out water? It's called evaporation, and it doesnt dry out, it just becomes water vapour or a gas.... This was just hilarious..."it sort of disappears"...

Jasher3605

Think of it this way: once something has burnt you cant burn it again. Try igniting the ash from your fireplace. Hydrogen burnt in air (oxygen) gives water.

Aurium

Hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce a new substance with new properties. Another example: NaCl (sodium chloride aka table salt) Sodium in our food with water produces hydrogen gas (boom!) and lye (poison). Chlorine gas breathed in will kill you. Put sodium and chlorine together we get a new substance with new properties and we put it on our french fries.

zippythewonderslugohio

This is the best question i've ever seen on YA. The simple formula to this question or answer should i say is that a natural mineral and or liquid is none toxic or flamable. But, natural gasses and man made experiments combined with natural sources, including water have been tested. Not for our sake (the innocent citizens) but for the wankers in Polotics.

Gary

I can't believe the number of people confused about this and the number of rubbish answers! This was asked a while back and received a much more intelligent response! http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Anxfyp8UMoDJFZ1l7jkNIh4hBgx.;_ylv=3?qid=20080603122948AAd8TDv&show=7#profile-info-Y6BzJuTJaa

Thesmileyman

You can't burn liquid substances. Petrol in our cars turns into a gas before it burns. You can oxidise Hyrdogen any more than water. so it won't combust

HJII

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