system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is adding acid to water safer than adding water to acid? Thinking of the rhyme "acid to water just like you oughtta, water to acid you might get blasted".
gpt
When you dilute a strong acid, a lot of heat is released very quickly. If you are steadily adding the acid to a container of water instead, then the heat will be dissipated much more effectively throughout the water.

Edit: as others have noted, it's also a safety precaution to help prevent strong acids from splashing out of the container.