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What is created when CO2 displaces oxygen in a fire extinguisher?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
There is no chemical reaction involved. The CO2 simply acts like a heavy blanket, pushing the air from around the fire away. A more complex physical reaction happens as the CO2 is discharged: the sudden drop in pressure as the liquified CO2 expands results in a rapid drop in temperature, producing pellets of dry ice (solid carbon dioxide). The cloud you see when a CO2 extinguisher is activated is mostly water vapor condensed from the atmosphere by the cold gas.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
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Why are carbon dioxide used as extinguisher?
Carbon dioxide is used because it takes away the heat from the fire. Carbon dioxide is very cold and also displaces the oxygen. Heat, oxygen and fuel are part of a "fire triangle" take any of those elements away and the fire will be extinguished.
Why is carbon dioxide in fire extinguisher?
Fires need oxygen, and the CO2 (carbon dioxide) smothers the fire by keeping oxygen away. CO2 is only used for certain types of fire, mostly wood, paper, cloth, and electrical fires. The CO2 displaces the oxygen. You spray a fire at its base with an extinguisher. Fires draw oxygen from its base by way of draft. The CO2 from the extinguisher is picked up by the fire and does not support combustion. For very large fires, CO2 is not as effective because of the rapid flow of air into the fire, which is caused by higher temperatures. Water or foam is better at cooling the fire and making the flammable materials harder to burn.
Why can't you put out a fire with a foam extinguisher?
Well, you CAN- depending on the type of fire.
What in co2 puts out an electricity fire?
Fires need oxygen to burn. Without it, the fire goes out. Using CO2 displaces oxygen in the environment.
Why is a burning candle extinguished by a fire extinguisher?
Like any other fire, a burning candle requires fuel, heat, oxygen and a chemical reaction. If you use a fire extinguisher, it typically removes the heat or oxygen from the process, thus stopping the fire.
Why would you use foam to put out a fire?
Not normal foam but carbon dioxide foam from a fire extinguisher. This special foam covers the fire and takes all the oxygen out of it, and with no oxygen, no fire!!!
What fire do use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher on?
A CO2 fire extinguisher will work on flammable liquid and electrical fires only. If used on any other type of fire they will just give it more oxygen and it will spread.
What do fire extinguishers remove from the fire triangle?
It depends upon what kind of extinguisher it is. Water, for example, removes the heat from a fire by turning into steam and by removing available air/oxygen from the flames. Other extinguishers remove the oxygen from the fire or change the chemical reaction to stop the fire from converting the fuel to a flammable substance with the available heat.
What type of fire extinguisher do you use for metals like magnesium?
Only a Class D fire extinguisher should be used on fires involving combustible metals, such as magnesium. It will smother them by denying access to oxygen.
What ingredient is in baking soda that extinguishes a grease fire?
a bicarbonate of baking soda is Co2 Co2 displaces oxygen which is fuel for the fire no fuel no fire
How is carbon dioxide used in putting out fire?
Carbon dioxide displaces oxygen, without the oxygen most fires cannot continue burning.
Is hydrogen inside a fire extinguisher?
Not in elemental form. Hydrogen is highly flammable, so putting it in a fire extinguisher would be a very bad idea. Some fire extinguishes contain water, which is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
