Hand sanitizer includes ethyl alcohol ( highly flammable ) and water and set it on fire . You can hold it in your hand and it won ’ t burn very badly . Why ? Because water has a high specific heat capacity so it takes a high temperature to boil water . The water protects the hands from being burnt .
Reaction : Ethanol + oxygen→ water + carbon-dioxide It is an exothermic reaction .
Warning : It should not be tried except in the laboratory with appropriate safety measures .