Lighting water on fire? I don't think so.

[Cowtipper]

Whilst perusing the Tube, I found this:



What do you think? Did he actually light water on fire?

I don't think so.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

He probably replaced the water with white gas, like that used in the old camping lanterns and stoves, or more likely, lighter fluid for a BBQ.

The claim is nonsense.

 

[Moonbear]

He probably replaced the water with white gas, like that used in the old camping lanterns and stoves, or more likely, lighter fluid for a BBQ.

The claim is nonsense.

No need. He added pan searing flour, which is a really fine powder flour, just before lighting it. The flour probably sat on top, and as a fine powder, is probably what burned.

And will someone tell that guy that water doesn't "boil" at 195 F! And right after that, give him a lesson on videography that explains that aiming the camera at the floor while walking around is pretty HORRIBLE to watch! (I fast forwarded...it was too painful to watch real time.)

 

[Cowtipper]

Well, apparently the pan searing flour isn't what did it. Check this out (I'm pretty sure this is in response to a comment someone left for the original video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dceZlSF7CHQ&watch_response

 

[Ivan Seeking]

These are too painful to watch and a waste of time. It's a trick.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Member HH/SA CRGreathouse sent some related thoughts in a PM. If anyone wishes to discuss this in detail, please start a thread in the physics or chemistry forum and let me know. I'll post a link.

I saw that the thread was closed, so I figured I'd send this to you.

Regardless of what the video shows (can't see videos on this computer), I will say that it *is* possible, in some sense, to light water on fire.

When I was hiking in New Mexico there was a place where there was enough natural gas in the area (or so I was told) that water in a canteen could be shaken and lit. I can't say it was because of natural gas (though that sounds reasonable), but my fellow hikers and I were able to test this directly. We were able to light the water (actually vapors formerly dissolved in the water) and watch it burn for about 3-6 seconds with a dull blue flame. Not only did I witness our group doing this several times (new water each time; once lit it wouldn't light again) but we were able to videotape it one of the times.

I just thought this was relevant enough to mention...