While watching football one of the commentators made the statement, "That will throw some cold water on their fire". My husband then asked, does the temperature of the water really make a difference? Won't any water thrown on the fire have the same effect? My Father in Law thinks it will have a different effect. My husband and I both think water is water and will have the same effect. But I also think that cold water will also cool embers and any rocks that were in the fire. Along with the wood. Thus cooling the remains quicker.
Now I want your thoughts on this oh so pressing matter.
2007-01-13 11:00:26 · 7 answers · asked by Amy R 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Throwing water on a fire has two effects: it keeps oxygen away from the fire, and it takes heat away from the material which is on fire. The first will put out the flames, the second will make it less likely that the fire will start again spontaneously. For removing oxygen, it doesn't matter whether the water is hot or cold, but cold water is slightly more effective if you want to take away heat than hot water.
2007-01-13 11:06:25 · answer #1 · answered by Gnomon 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Technically the cold water will have more of an effect because it will cool down the material more and make it harder for it to remain burning (or start burning again from other nearby material which is burning). However, the difference isn't very big because the fire is much hotter than any kind of liquid water, and hot water is certainly effective at putting out fires.
2007-01-13 19:07:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
yeah there is a difference but it's hard to notice. as soon as you throw hot or cold water on a fire it will dowse the fire and steam will come out and the fire gets smaller. but the steam is a result of the heat of the fire boiling the water you throw on it. thus taking heat out of the fire and putting the fire out. now if you throw water that is really hot and close to the boiling point, 212 degrees, then it doesn't take much more heat to boil it into steam so it wouldn't be too effective. although, if you throw water that is close to the freezing point 32 degrees, then it will take a lot of heat from the fire to heat the water to 212 degrees so that it boils and turns into steam. but since fire can be a thousand degrees and large, the small 200degrees isn't comparable. steam will be produces almost instantly anyway even with cold water or even ice. try throwing frozen CO2 or dry ice onto the fire next time. it takes a lot more heat to boil that stuff. only difference is that it would boil at room temperature. but using a lot of it adds extreme cold to any situation
2007-01-13 19:11:11 · answer #3 · answered by smokesha 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
So, cold water will make some difference because-- it will absorb more heat from the fuel, so it could put the fire out faster. However, when the water vaporises, it absorbs way more heat than when it just warms up-- like 100 times more. So, although cold water will make some difference, it will be small.
In the reference-- see the specific heat vs. heat of evaporation...
2007-01-13 20:12:59 · answer #4 · answered by wherearethetacos 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Hot water!! Easier to boil to steam > steam displaces oxygen around fire > fire dies eventually.
2013-12-27 12:43:45 · answer #5 · answered by Eokaeloki 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wont make a difference as the fire is much hotter than any water.
2007-01-13 19:08:20 · answer #6 · answered by mister 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
More of a visual like the guy above me said to, more steam i.e. smoke from one to the other.
2007-01-13 19:43:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋