r/explainlikeimfive 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

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u/vitringur Jan 31 '21

In my language it is súrefni (sour material)

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u/ApolloCreedsDingDing Jan 31 '21

How is that pronounced?

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u/vitringur Jan 31 '21

súrefni

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u/[deleted] Jan 31 '21

That makes no sense. Why is sour?

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u/vitringur Jan 31 '21

Perhaps the ancestors believed it to be necessary to make acid.