Why does adding water to boiling oil cause an explosion but nothing happens when adding oil to boiling water?

Question

Why does adding water to boiling oil cause an explosion but nothing happens when adding oil to boiling water?

In: 200

Answer 1

Oil begins to boil at approximtely ~300 degrees Celsius.

Water boils at ~100 degrees Celsius.

When you pour liquid water into boiling oil. The water is more dense and sinks to the bottom of the pot. The water absorbs heat from the oil and very quickly reaches its boiling point. The liquid water changes state (to a gas) at a rapid rate. A process that has a massive change in volume (~1000% change in volume).

Because of the rate and energy of this reaction the oil and liquid water are both are expelled out of the pot because of the expanding gases.

Now you have 300 degrees celcius oil all over the kitchen and it will ignite anything that will ignite at 300 degrees. .

As well, the ignition temperature of the oil is ~330 degrees c. So if your spilt oil contacts the cooking element you now have combustion. Which quickly ignites more oil in a chain reaction.