> On Tue, 13 Feb 1996, Len Bugel wrote:
>
> > this is really _fun_!) put a small amount of water in an empty aluminum
> > beverage can, and boil the water for a while on your kitchen range. The
> > water vapor will essentially drive all the air out of the can, leaving
> > only water vapor in there. Now (Here's the fun part) pick up the can with
> > some sort of tongs or a hot pot holder and quickly invert it into a pan
> > of cold water, so that the open top is submerged. The water vapor will
> > quickly condense back to a liquid, leaving a pretty good vacuum inside
> > the can - but not for long! The outside air pressure almost instantly
> > crushes the can. Try it, you'll like it! Use about half an inch of water
>
> Len
>
> Not that I am a doubting Thomas, but I would think the falling pressure
> in the can would simply draw water from the sink into the can. I would
> have been willing to bet money that not much would happen. Have you
> actually tried this?
>
> Ray
>
> Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
My dad used to do this for use kids when we finished up a gallon of Vermont
Maple Syrup. He'd boil a bit of water in the can. Then put the lid on tight and
run cold water over it. The air pressure would crush it like CA like to do to
our old cars. It was great fun. Too bad the syrup producers are switching to
plastic containers.
- -Mark "No 'Log Cabin' for this boy" Jurras = =o&o
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