Knowledge Base Article
Article ID: 27335 [Last Updated10/30/2003 8:47:49 AM]
Summary:
Alternative to the metal can in chemistry Experiment 4.3.
Article:
If you cannot find a metal can for the experiment, here is an alternative experiment you can do:
1. Get a 2-liter plastic pop bottle with a lid.
2. Run the tap water until it gets as hot as possible.
3. Fill the bottle about 1/8 full of the hot water.
4. Let the bottle sit as you fill the sink 1/2 full of cold
water.
5. Add lots of ice to the water in the sink.
6. Put the lid on the 2-liter bottle tightly.
7. Immerse the 2-liter bottle in the sink.
The two-liter bottle should crush, just like the can.
Although you did not boil the water, the hot water in the can
was still letting off a lot of vapor. That vapor pushed the
air out of the bottle as it sat. When you put the lid on the
bottle, then, you had mostly water vapor and water in the
bottle. When the bottle was immersed in the ice-cold water,
a lot of that water vapor condensed back into liquid water,
crushing the 2-liter bottle.