As the summer heat rises, firemen around the country issue a quick reminder against the seemingly harmless practice of leaving water bottles in cars. This unnoticed practice can have unintended and potentially dangerous consequences prompting fire safety officials to raise awareness about the risks.
The Science Behind the Danger
The risk comes from fundamental physical principles. When sunlight flows through a water-filled plastic bottle, it functions as a magnifying glass, focussing the light on one point. If this point is directed at a flammable surface, such as the fabric of a vehicle seat, it can start a fire. Firefighters have showed how rapidly and readily this can occur, even within minutes in direct sunlight.
Real-Life Incidents
Image Credit: Facebook / Idaho Power
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