The Collapsing Can!

      The collapsing can.  Doesn't sound so interesting at first...But, when I observed this experiment, I easily saw how interesting and COOL it was!
      In order to do the experiment, we needed an empty aluminum soft-drink can (coke in our class), a 2- or 3-quart saucepan, a hot plate (for us), and a pair of kitchen tongs.  With only these four items, we were able to observe Charle's and Boyle's laws!  Here's how it went:

      We began by filling a large bowl with cold water and putting 15 milliliters of water into the coke can.  We then proceeded to heat the coke can on the hot plate that was provided.  At first, the coke can filled with water exuded steam, which told us that it was extremely hot and that the water inside was evaporating and condensing.  The water became steam and some stuck to the sides of the coke can as water droplets near the top.  The water in the bowl was ice cold.  When the water in the coke can was hot enough, we took the tongs and inverted the coke can into the water in the bowl.  The reaction was amazing! The coke can immediately was crushed and collapsed!
      This process applied both Charle's Law and Boyle's Law.  Charle's law states that the volume of a gas increases as the temperature increases.  Boyle's Law states that the volume of a gas decreases when the pressure increases.  These two extremely important laws were shown when the temperature around the can decreased as it was plunged into the chilling water (a decreased temperature) and likewise, its volume decreased.  They were also shown by the air pressure increasing as the liquid inside the can found its way out into the open water in the bowl and causing the volume to decrease since the air pressure was strong enough to crush it after the water was gone.  
      As you can see, this experiment proved to be much more than we all might have thought it was.  It allowed us to learn all about the powers of air pressure and how it affects everything around it.  In addition, I know now more about the two laws stated above.  Overall, this lab was a great way to learn about air pressure!


My first picture was from here.  

~Starflower794!