"Larry Fransson" wrote in message
news:2003111700124016807%newsgroups@larryandjenny. net...
On 2003-11-16 16:21:37 -0800, vincent p. norris said:

"Ammonium" is loaded with hydrogen and "-ate" means lots of oxygen.
Neither would seem to ideal for quenching a fire.

One would not think that applying a substance that was two-thirds hydrogen
(great fuel) and one-third oxygen (oxidizer) to a fire would be helpful
either, and yet somehow it is!

Hold it. The percent of the weight of the atoms in a molecule has nothing
to do with the chemical properties of the molecule. These atoms are bound
together. It is not a simple mixture. Another example: Salt is sodium and
chlorine, but does not have the properties of either.