I have to find out why pure owygen is so flammable for a term paper. Please give answer as if you were talking to a 5 year old.
2007-08-30 08:31:50 · 6 answers · asked by Nate Dog 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Oxygen is not flammable. It is an accelerant; or in chemistry terms, an oxidizer. When something burns two things must be present: a fuel source and an oxidizer. It is the "fuel" that is "flammable". The oxidizer simply "accelerates" or supports the burning process. The more oxidizer that is present the more the burning process is "accelerated."
The air we breath is only about 18-20% oxygen. The breathing gas, or oxygen from a tank, is 100% oxygen. Therefore, there is more oxygen present in pure or beathing gas. The more oxygen that is present, the greater the buring process is accelerated (more rapid oxidation of the fuel source).
2007-08-30 08:56:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When things burn it's because they are combining with oxygen in the air and releasing lots of heat. If you put a lit match in a conatiner with no oxygen it will go out. Pure oxygen is just more concentrated than the air which has only 21% O2, so it readily supports combustion if given the chance with the slightest spark. The spark starts the burning process, and the heat that follows feeds the continuous reaction.
2007-08-30 15:39:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Simple as I can make it:
Oxygen is not flammable, but
high concentrations of oxygen
make everything that is flammable
more so.
When things burn, they combine with oxygen.
High concentrations of oxygen (that means
when there's a lot of it around), make fires
easier to start, hotter and faster in burning,
and harder to put out.
2007-08-30 15:41:14 · answer #3 · answered by Irv S 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Oxygen is not flammable. It SUPPORTS combustion. The more oxygen available, the more readily combustion takes place for a given material. But oxygen itself does not burn.
2007-08-30 15:39:10 · answer #4 · answered by Joseph F 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Oxygen is not flammable on its own--it enhances the burning of inflammables. Hydrogen,Hydro Carbons,Carbohydrates,fats Carbon etc are inflammables.O2 enhances their burning.In fact burning means Oxidation.C+O2>CO2---H2+O>H2O--C6H12O6+6O2>6CO2+6H2O--2C2H2(acetylene)+5O2>4CO2+2H2O----that way.
P.S:-C6H12O6+6O2>6CO2+6H2O--2C2H2(acetylene)+5O2>4CO2+2H2O-- have not been posted
2007-08-30 15:47:09 · answer #5 · answered by ssrvj 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it likes to hook up with the Carbons
when Chemicals get likethey really want to hook up, then they might burst into flame or explode
2007-08-30 15:36:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋