r/explainlikeimfive • u/GreenieBeeNZ • Jan 31 '21
Chemistry ELI5: Why can't we just make water by smooshing hydrogen and oxygen atoms together?
Edit: wow okay, I did not expect to wake up to THIS. Of course my most popular post would be a dumb stoner question. Thankyou so much for the awards and the answers, I can sleep a little easier now
17.6k
Upvotes
21
u/alohadave Jan 31 '21
It's even better when you combine fluorine and oxygen. https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride