Why does pouring water into boiling bacon grease create fire?

Subject: Why does pouring water into boiling bacon grease create fire?

Date: Wed Jan 22 21:08:31 2003
Posted by Mark Gober
Grade level: nonaligned School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 1043287711.Ch

Message:


This is a trick we do on river trips to "wow" the guests- It is not an 
explosive question.  We get all of our bacon grease, heat it up on our stove 
and then pour water into it(with a can taped to the end of a 11 ft. oar!) and 
it shoots flames up 15 feet.  I can't figure out why this is because there is 
no flame to begin with- in the can of boiling grease that is. Hope you can help 
me out.

Re: Why does pouring water into boiling bacon grease create fire?

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