why does adding cold water into boiling oil set things on fire?

Question

Pretty much the title. Chemically speaking what’s going on when this happens?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

When water boils to a vapor it expands. When you put water in hot oil (that’s around 130 degrees higher than the boiling point of water) it vaporizes immediately. Big Bada boom. Spraying hot oil everywhere, including into the air.