Hydrogen burns with a pop sound,Oxygen is a supporter of combustion but compound of Hydrogen and Oxygen is water which is used as a fire extinguisher.Why?

Question

Answer

Water is a compound..and compound can show the characteristics dissimilar to its constituent elements..

Answer

Burning with a pop sound is a characteristic property of the ELEMENT, Hydrogen. Supporting combustion is the characteristic property of the ELEMENT, oxygen. As per the definition of COMPOUNDS, they are composed of two or more elements chemically bound together which may not have the same property as their constituent elements. Water, being a COMPOUND, has different properties than that of its constituent elements, oxygen and hydrogen.

Hope I'm clear!

Answer

burning is the process of reacting with oxygen to produce energy.The burning process in the case of oxygen and hydrogen is relatively simple.

Answer

Introduction:
Hydrogen (H2) is a highly flammable gas that burns with a pop sound due to its rapid combustion reaction with oxygen (O2). Oxygen is a supporter of combustion, meaning it facilitates the burning of substances. However, when hydrogen and oxygen combine in the right proportions, they form water (H2O), which is commonly used as a fire extinguisher. This might seem counterintuitive, but there are scientific reasons behind it.

The Combustion of Hydrogen:
When hydrogen gas comes into contact with a flame or spark, it rapidly reacts with oxygen in the air, resulting in combustion. The combustion reaction can be represented as follows:
2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O + Energy

Formation of Water:
The combustion reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces water as one of the products. In this reaction, each hydrogen molecule (H2) combines with an oxygen molecule (O2) to form two water molecules (H2O). The energy released during this reaction is in the form of heat and light.

Fire Extinguishing Properties of Water:
Water is an excellent fire extinguisher due to its unique properties.

Cooling Effect:
When water is sprayed onto a fire, it absorbs heat from the fire and cools down the surrounding area. This cooling effect reduces the temperature below the ignition point of the fuel, thereby extinguishing the fire.

Heat Absorption:
Water absorbs a significant amount of heat as it vaporizes. When water is used to extinguish a fire, it undergoes a phase change from liquid to vapor. This phase change requires a large amount of heat energy, which is drawn from the fire. As a result, the fire is deprived of the heat necessary for sustained combustion, leading to its extinguishment.

Smothering Effect:
Water also acts as a smothering agent. By covering the fuel source with a layer of water, it separates the fuel from the oxygen in the air, effectively cutting off the oxygen supply necessary for combustion. Without oxygen, the fire cannot continue to burn and eventually goes out.

Conclusion:
Although hydrogen is highly flammable and oxygen supports combustion, the compound formed by their combination, water, is used as a fire extinguisher. This is due to the cooling effect, heat absorption, and smothering effect of water, which collectively work to extinguish fires by reducing the temperature, removing heat energy, and cutting off the oxygen supply necessary for combustion.

Similar Class 11 Doubts

Hydrogen combines with oxygen to form two compounds namely, water and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen + Oxygen →Water Hydrogen + Oxygen →Hydrogen peroxide Here, the masses of oxygen which combine with a fixed mass of hydrogen bear simple ratio, Will be

In the reaction

A colourless crystalline compond has the following percentage composition.sulphur 24.24%,nitrogen 21.21,% ,hydrogen 6.06%,and the rest is oxygen.detrrmine the empirical formula of compound.if the molecular mass is 132 what is the molecular formula of the compound?

Oxygen is 16 times heavier than hydrogen. Equal volumes of hydrogen and oxygen mixed together and get thr mixture. What is ratio velocities of sound wave from mixture to the hydrogen ?

calculate the volume of oxygen required for complete combustion of 12.5 dm cube ethane gas at NTP. give me solution of this question

Top Courses for Class 11View all

Chemistry Class 11

CUET Mock Test: Humanities Subjects 2025

English Class 11

Mathematics (Maths) Class 11

Psychology Practice Tests: CUET Preparation

Top Courses for Class 11

Top Courses for Class 11

Suggested Free Tests

Related Content

Schools

Competitive Examinations

Quick Access Links

Technical Exams