I'm confused here. I guess you can add oxygen too. like by rearranging the logs or blowing on it. Is there a best shape for the logs to be in? like how to you maximize airflow of a fire in a fireplace? are the only 3 things required for fire (mass, oxygen, heat) what kind of mass cause water doesn't ever ignite, and it's mostly oxygen. why can't fire burn underwater when oxygen is a key ingredient and all there is extra are 2 hydrogen atom. When Hydrogen burns extremely well. Led Zepplin would agree with me on that. why can't wood burn under water? does it need more heat? would a magnesium ribbon ignite when lit at one end and placed in h2O? could we start a chemical reaction similar to fire to burn water? that might help in the long run with the icecaps melting. a way to burn water. even if we have to rip off those two hydrogen atoms for each oxygen atoms so that it can burn. What's required to separate Oxygen atoms from those pesky proton-electron marraiges? oh yeah, zzz
2006-12-21 15:27:55 · 5 answers · asked by JizZ E. Jizzy 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Whoa! That's a lot of questions.
OK, lets start at the end. Water doesn't burn because it already has, so to speak. When you burn hydrogen, it forms water. It's like asking why you can't burn CO2. Water (like CO2) is a combustion product. When you burn things, you just oxidize them (chemically add oxygen to their structures), so if it already has oxygen, generally it's not going to burn.
The only way to get something to burn underwater is to provide the fuel and oxydizer together so that it can burn before it actually touches the water. That's how underwater flares work, they contain a solid that is a mixture of a flammable propellant and a chemical that, when heated, gives off a lot of oxygen. That way the flare can burn without needing oxygen from the atmosphere around it. You could burn an underwater flare in space, even.
As for your woodpile, the optimum structure would be something like a chimney. Since hot air (and hot combustion gasses) rise, you want to let them rise out the top, and have nice big gaps at the bottom for fresh, cool, oxygen-rich air to come in. You could also add a richer fuel (like gasoline) or more oxydizer to speed up combustion and increase the temperature.
I'm sure a dozen people have beat me to this in the time it took me to type that, but so be it.
2006-12-21 15:35:35 · answer #1 · answered by Che jrw 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The physical properties of elements change when they combine. When elements are combined the propert completely changes. So you can't just take one element and refer to its property. For e.g Potassium ferro cyanide is not as harmful as potassium cyanide. The when iron is completey removed it quickly mixes with the iron in the blood to become really lethal.
So is when oxygen (1 atom) is mixed with hydrogen (2 atoms) their individual properties are completely changed and show rather opposite affinity to fire.
2006-12-21 15:40:25 · answer #2 · answered by thewiseone 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that's a lot of technical questions.......
the best "shape" for logs is in a pyramid like shape. it lets in more oxygen at the bottom of the fire where it feeds from.
The only 'fire' I know of that can burn underwater is in welding.
2006-12-21 15:33:52 · answer #3 · answered by Squirrley Temple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Proper/sufficient ventilation will do it! In other words "Draft" as is commonly known.
2006-12-21 15:39:06 · answer #4 · answered by Nikolas S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Looks to me that you know the answer to your question already. No need to answer. Also, it looks like you're on to something too.................
2006-12-21 15:35:49 · answer #5 · answered by egan 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋