Chapter 21, Problem 14TE

Water is $88.88\%$ oxygen by mass. Oxygen is exactly what a fire needs to grow brighter and stronger. So why doesn't a fire grow brighter and stronger when water is added to it?

To determine

The reason due to which the fire does not glow brighter and stronger after adding water to it.

Answer to Problem 14TE

The fire does not glow brighter or stronger after adding water as the oxygen is chemically attached to the hydrogen in water molecule.

Explanation of Solution

The electrons get donated in any oxidation reaction while in reduction reaction the electrons get accepted.

The elemental oxygen gas, ${\text{O}}_2$ , helps in fire. The oxygen is bonded to hydrogen chemically in a water molecule. The chemical change, changes the properties of the compound.

Thus, the fire does not glow brighter or stronger after adding water.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the fire does not glow brighter or stronger after adding water as the oxygen is chemically attached to the hydrogen in water molecule.