Once you become aware of how dangerous your cooking fuel is, check out carbon monoxide: toxic gas, proceed to meet other villains who accompany your daily cooking practice.
Distraction: the biggest cause of house fires. Because? Just imagine, a housewife puts the pot of oil on the fire and while she waits for it to heat up, she will do another task. When he realizes, the house is already filled with smoke from overheating. The consequence of such a distraction can be a high-risk fire, and to make matters worse, some have the unfortunate idea of pouring water into the skillet. Learn now a logical explanation based on scientific concepts so that you never do that.
One thing you should already know, that when performing the heterogeneous mixture between water and oil, the latter remains immersed, that is, the oil does not mix with the water, it floats. The instant the oil catches fire, it is above 100 °C, if you pour water, it will sink into the pan and heat up due to contact with the oil.
The result? As the water suddenly boils, it will turn against you in the form of superheated bubbles mixed with hot oil, which fall onto the fire, fueling it. That way you burn yourself and accelerate the fire even more.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
The best way to react when oil being heated in a stove flame suddenly catches fire is to place a damp cloth over the pan. This action prevents oxygen from reaching the flames, so they quickly go out due to lack of oxidizer. (see in fire triangle)
By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
Brazil School Team
See more!
Carbon monoxide: the silent killer who lives in your kitchen.
Why the blue color of the stove flame?
Meet the Fire Triangle
Chemistry Curiosities - Chemistry - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Líria Alves de. "Danger resides in the kitchen"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/o-perigo-mora-na-cozinha.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
