Re: A Physics Party Trick that Sucks [Liquid]

The candle-goes-out-and-sucks-up-water experiment, and why oxygen loss is NOT the reason why, despite what you may have learned in school.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• DIY
• suction
• liquid
• fire
• glass
• physics
• oxygen
• party
• trick
• fun
• smarterthanthat
• smarter
• than
• that
• mooeypoo

[Lightercutt]

Ok, I was doing this project for school, and this proved it false. :D So I can say this new thing thanks to you. But, I'm still in a little bit of a problem. I need to find an application for this in real life, but I can't think of any. Anyone wanna help me? Please reply to this comment

[shanedk]

This concept is very important to firefighters. You know about the fire triangle: heat, fuel, and oxygen. A fire might consume all of the oxygen in the room and go out, with the heat and fuel remaining. As soon as the firefighter opens the door or busts a window, the sudden influx of oxygenated air can start the fire right back up. It's incredibly dangerous and part of their training is dealing with precisely this situation.

[AisuSeijin]

We have a rebel on our hands, people.

[TomSFox]

I hope it wasn't written by Kent Hovind.

[GuitarMannnnnn]

Heheh, 3:58.. Hehehe I remember doing this experiment and that was the conclusion I wrote on my paper. I remember the teacher had to clarify for the class that the suction relied upon the cooling of the gas. LOL!

[YngMaji1]

You really could have proven that it was volume change because of thermal differences by causing the water level in the glass to go back down by using a hair dryer to re-heat the air in the glass.

[dudemanguy3333]

@Mithcoriel It is the exact same volume. The volume of air within the glass remains constant during the entire process, and the mass does too.

[Mithcoriel]

You said: "The oxygen is converted into carbon-dioxide. The mass stays the same".

But it's not the mass that matters, it's the volume. If carbon-dioxide happened to have a much higher density than oxygen, that would still cause it to suck the liquid in. (As it is, of course, that doesn't matter. Just saying.)

[Surhotchaperchlorome]

Question: How many creationists have used this as a reason to question evolution taught in schools?

[civisromae]

If Hovind were telling the truth about having taught high school science for 15 years, he might well be the subject of that book.

[civisromae]

No, it was written by somebody who knew what he was talking about.

[TomSFox]

So, whatever became of mooeypoo, anyway?