Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Harvey Shaw on 06/05/2010 10:30:02

Title: Why won't water burn?
Post by: Harvey Shaw on 06/05/2010 10:30:02

Harvey Shaw asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Dear Chris
 
I have a question for you.

I was wondering why H2O is not combustible, because hydrogen is flammable and fire needs oxygen to burn.

Is it because of them being a compound or the amount of hydrogen to the amount of oxygen?

Harvey Shaw, age 11

What do you think?

Title: Why won't water burn?
Post by: imatfaal on 08/05/2010 12:07:43

Harvey,

I am not a chemist but I think one way you could think about it is that water is Hydrogen that has ALREADY burned.  When you burn something you tend to get energy/heat out - and you can't get this energy out twice.

You could put energy IN to split the compound into seperata Hydrogen and Oxygen - you could then burn them again to get water and (a bit less) energy again.

Matthew