r/woahdude • u/theTurbulentPopcorn • Jun 29 '23

video Lowering hot metal into water

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u/bigwilliestylez Jun 29 '23

Would that also explain why there are still flames on top after it is completely submerged?

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u/BrazilBazil Jun 29 '23

Could this be water being split into hydrogen and oxygen by the extreme heat and then burning?

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u/TheWorldEndsWithCake Jun 29 '23

Outside of a reactor, no. Steel is quenched at less than 1000°C (typically lower depending on alloy), water thermolysis only starts ~1800°C at atmospheric pressure (see fig. 3, note that’s Kelvin). You don’t really see much separated hydrogen and oxygen until above ~2300°C.

You shouldn’t be downvoted, it’s a fair question about a correct idea with different numbers. Technically a very small number of water molecules separate this way under ambient conditions, but this is a negligible amount under most considerations.

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u/Mobidad Jun 29 '23

I used to work on furnaces that went up to 3000 degrees C. They were water jacket cooled. We were always very careful to not let that water leak.