Simple ignorance needs correction---Johnny, when I ask you to dilute the sulfuric acid, please slowly pour the acid into the water, not the water into the acid....
That will make sure there are no holes in your clothes or in your skin.
That is a life-or-death necessity that you describe I expect tom. Here's what I mean specifically. Someone asks a question. Folks answer it. Then other folks will comment on the answers only to point out that a word is misspelled or the comma is in the wrong place or something else that is inane irrelevant and not remotely helpful. People come here to chat. Also English is not always the first language. Language is used to communicate. Now if you understand what the person says what does it matter if the word used is "to" when it should be "too"? Some folks just show up to show off like that. As an English Major I do not give a rat's a** about such absurdly unimportant minutia. If I don't understand what someone says I ALWAYS ask. You KNOW that. People don't show up to be corrected. An internet social site is NOT school or work. Those folks in need of correcting should get jobs as proofreaders for which they will get paid. Just my opinion. I mean do YOU care if I write "there" when I should have written "their"? Or leave a letter off? That's my point m'dear. Thank you for your reply. I have never taken a chem class but what would happen if you pour water into the acid? Would it explode and why would it make a difference since you are combining the same two things? See how ignorant I am? But really what would happen if the sequence were incorrect?
Words serve speech (communication); speech is not intended to serve words. And while I will kid with Randy D about grammar, that is not something I care that much about (except for the occasional shudder at the construction) except in my own writing / typing.
When you combine water and sulfuric acid, it is an exothermal reaction---it produces heat. If you pour the water into the acid, enough head is generated such that the water, boils and sputters and throws the acid out of the beaker and onto you. If you pour the acid (slowly) into the water, the temperature rises more slowly and your clothes and body avoid the holes.
tom jackson 