Water can actually do three things with fire: Feed it, not affect it, or quench it, depending on the fuel. For burning solids, such as paper, wood, or coal, water will extinguish the fire by two methods: cooling and, if enough is present, depriving the fire of oxygen. A fire needs three things: heat, fuel, and oxygen. read more
Water can actually do three things with fire: Feed it, not affect it, or quench it, depending on the fuel. For burning solids, such as paper, wood, or coal, water will extinguish the fire by two methods: cooling and, if enough is present, depriving the fire of oxygen. read more
The reason that water (in any state) is not flammable is that it is already the product of combustion. The chemical equation for this reaction is: 2H 2 + O 2-> 2H 2 O. The reaction also releases a large amount of energy, mostly in the form of heat that causes the water vapor to expand rapidly to a large volume. read more