Creating a Fireball - Pouring Water on an Oil Fire
Most people know the advice about never putting water on an oil fire. We joined Dr Peter Wothers on the roof of the Ri building in London to show exactly why. Above the famous Lecture Theatre,...
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Of all of the chemical compounds-- and there are many millions-- I think water has to be one of the most amazing. And it's one of my favourite. What we're going to do today is see how just a tiny amount of water can cause an enormous fire ball. This is a giant safety screen. A giant cylindrical safety screen, as it will be, to protect Peter from the effects of pouring a small amount of water into some burning, boiling oil, which hopefully will produce a giant fire ball. Thanks to the screen it will go up, rather than out. We're going to take you up to the roof because no ordinary room could contain the fire ball that we are hoping to produce. As you may know, oil and water just don't mix. And I can show this. So we'll p...
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Of all of the chemical compounds-- and there are many millions-- I think water has to be one of the most amazing. And it's one of my favourite. What we're going to do today is see how just a tiny amount of water can cause an enormous fire ball. This is a giant safety screen. A giant cylindrical safety screen, as it will be, to protect Peter from the effects of pouring a small amount of water into some burning, boiling oil, which hopefully will produce a giant fire ball. Thanks to the screen it will go up, rather than out. We're going to take you up to the roof because no ordinary room could contain the fire ball that we are hoping to produce. As you may know, oil and water just don't mix. And I can show this. So we'll p...
