If I were to take a bowlfull of petrol or some other highly flamable liquid.
Then I took a drop of very strong acid, and dropped it into the petrol.
Would the petrol combust?
2006-09-08 08:42:53 · 8 answers · asked by Swampy_Bogtrotter 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
The answer is a simple No.
Combustion is the reacting with Oxygen to form CO2 and H2O.
And as you know petrol or the like does not spontaneously combust if left on the side to mix with Oxygen from the air. For combustion (or the explosion) you need to add energy to the reaction (normally from a spark). Sparks have a high level of energy for a fraction of a second and are sufficient for the well mixed oxygen from the air and vapour from the petrol to start the combustion. What happens next is that the energy released from the first molecule of petrol combusting enables two more molecules to combust and the each molecule enables a further two more etc... so you get a rapid change reaction or explosion.
However, no strong acid dropped on petrol would cause the reaction.
2006-09-08 09:12:08 · answer #1 · answered by Chris H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, unless it was chemically reactive with the petrol. But if you dripped in a very strong acid and a very strong base at the same time, the heat of reaction just might be sufficient to ignite the petrol.
2006-09-08 08:45:26 · answer #2 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, of course not. If you dropped a base in an acid then yes, there would be an explosion.
2006-09-08 08:47:49 · answer #3 · answered by Solar_Ecliptor 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes if your mobile phone suddenly went off!
2006-09-08 10:42:02 · answer #4 · answered by Aslan, reborn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive just burnt my hair dont try this at home
2006-09-08 08:49:30 · answer #5 · answered by BUDDXX 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no its quite stable
2006-09-08 19:34:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
try it & let us know
2006-09-08 08:44:26 · answer #7 · answered by wordykat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try it
2006-09-08 08:44:55 · answer #8 · answered by spike 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋