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From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Sub-zero Seltzer!
Message-ID: <671@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 23:30:15 EST
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.671
Posted: Fri Jan  3 23:30:15 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Jan-86 17:14:25 EST
References: <601@hou2f.UUCP> <1510@ihlpg.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T, Computer Systems Division, Skokie, IL
Lines: 34

In article <1510@ihlpg.UUCP>, tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum) writes:
>> An unopened bottle of salt-free seltzer, kept overnight in
>> a sub-freezing room, remained liquid.  I brought the bottle
>> into a warm room and immediately removed the twist-off cap.
>> Within seconds the liquid froze.  Very dramatic!
>>
>> 2) The dissolved CO2 suppressed the freezing point.  When the
>> gas escaped, the water froze.
>> I think the second effect is the more important one.
>> Any comments?
>> Al Tino
>-----
>I think (but am not certain) that neither effect is significant.
>Try 3) Supercooled liquid - Liquids can be cooled well below
>their freezing points without freezing if there are no imperfections
>present at which freezing can begin.  When the pressure was released,
>the bubbles of CO2 were the "seeds" for ice crystal formation, i.e.
>freezing.
>--
>Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan

Interesting.  I have had the same thing happen with bottles of soft drinks
that I have put in the freezer to chill quickly and forgotten just a little
too long.  There seems to only be a little ice in the bottle, then I pry
off the cap--voila! lots of ice.  If the supercooling theory were the reason,
why was there a little ice in the bottle beforehand in my test?  (Try it
yourself, with something like Crush that comes in a clear bottle.)
-- 
 -------------------------------    Disclaimer:  The views contained herein are
|       dan levy | yvel nad      |  my own and are not at all those of my em-
|         an engihacker @        |  ployer or the administrator of any computer
| at&t computer systems division |  upon which I may hack.
|        skokie, illinois        |
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