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Is Burning Water Possible?
Water does not normally burn. So, why am I making such a fuss about such a simple phenomenon (or lack thereof)?
Before you think of me as someone crazy, let me explain. Sure, it is common knowledge that water does not burn. But for the love of humanity, and the science of chemistry, WHY? WHY does water not burn?!
The answer to that question is NOT common knowledge. When I asked myself the question, I did NOT have a comprehensive answer. I was just fooling myself into thinking that I knew, while my explanation was vague at best.
I knew very well that water is incombustible. In fact, water is likely the first thing that comes to our mind when we combat fire. Like any substance, water should be able to burn. Yet, it does not.
I decided to do my own research to make myself more educated. While I’m at it, I might as well share my research with the world. In this article, I try to answer this question in the simplest manner possible, such that no one needs to be scared of the chemical complexity involved.
What is ‘Burning’?
Every substance typically has an ignition point. This point is the temperature at which the substance starts to discharge flammable gasses.