Why does water spread grease and oil fires?

Think of a french fry. Outside is cooked and browned and oily, but the inside is non-oily potato. Why is that? When you fry most foods, that food has water in it. read more

This water does not dissolve in oil, because we all know oil and water do not mix (And a grease fire is no time to make a vinaigrette!). but it will become lots of little drops with a lot of surface area. read more

« Reply #3 on: 26/03/2007 01:43:57 » Water does help spread grease fires because as soon as it comes in contact with the boiling grease, it starts to boil violently (think of what happens when water gets into hot oil when you're frying something). read more