Metacelsus
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Cold Weather Experiments
As an ex-Minnesotan, I've been following the news about the recent extreme cold with some interest (and my family has sent me a variety of amusing
updates). I realize I'm a bit late in asking this, since the weather has mostly returned to normal by now, but have any Sciencemadness members done
anything interesting in the cold weather?
(I remember liquefying SO2, produced from metabisulfite, a few winters ago; has anyone else tried this?)
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Ubya
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in rome -3 could be considered extreme cold not enough to liquefy SO2 but when
i tried to use my butane torch couldn't get any gas out, or just for a few seconds as i warmed the cylinder with my hands (but kept getting colder
during use, joule-thompson effect )
[Edited on 3-2-2019 by Ubya]
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feel free to correct my grammar, or any mistakes i make
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Vomaturge
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here's some ideas
@Ubya, with it a bit cooler, you would have a an advantage if you're stupid enough to refill disposable lighters with butane. Poke a thumbtack into
the hole in the bottom of an empty lighter, and push the little ball that seals it into the inside. Put some rubber tube or a short piece of aquarium
hose over the nozzle of a butane cylinder, so that it creates a partial seal when pressed against the bottom of the lighter. Once you've filled it,
put the tack back in before all the gas escapes. It'll work in any weather, but you lose way more butane at 30C than at -10.
If you must try it, Do it outside, preferably with a slight breeze. Make sure to use something over the nozzle to help it seal. Don't (duh) use
propane. Don't try near ignition sources. Don't try out your newly filled lighter right away; the only butane that will likely be vaporizing at that
point is the butane you spilled on your glove. Better yet, don't try to do this.
Call me a wimp, but normally, I try to avoid going outside in the coldest weather, both because of the inconvenience of getting dressed and because
the lowest temperatures are in the dead of night. But, sometimes when its -20C or lower, the steam in the propane heater exhaust freezes in the
exhaust pipe and I have to bundle up and clean it out.
I don't do a whole lot of experiments right now, for a variety of reasons (mostly space and equipment, though) But I'm supposed to get some -10 maybe
-15C weather next week, so if anyone can think of something simple to do in moderate cold, I might try it. Right now, It's unseasonably warm here with
+3C!
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Elemental Phosphorus
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Quote: Originally posted by Vomaturge  | here's some ideas
@Ubya, with it a bit cooler, you would have a an advantage if you're stupid enough to refill disposable lighters with butane. Poke a thumbtack into
the hole in the bottom of an empty lighter, and push the little ball that seals it into the inside. Put some rubber tube or a short piece of aquarium
hose over the nozzle of a butane cylinder, so that it creates a partial seal when pressed against the bottom of the lighter. Once you've filled it,
put the tack back in before all the gas escapes. It'll work in any weather, but you lose way more butane at 30C than at -10.
If you must try it, Do it outside, preferably with a slight breeze. Make sure to use something over the nozzle to help it seal. Don't (duh) use
propane. Don't try near ignition sources. Don't try out your newly filled lighter right away; the only butane that will likely be vaporizing at that
point is the butane you spilled on your glove. Better yet, don't try to do this.
Call me a wimp, but normally, I try to avoid going outside in the coldest weather, both because of the inconvenience of getting dressed and because
the lowest temperatures are in the dead of night. But, sometimes when its -20C or lower, the steam in the propane heater exhaust freezes in the
exhaust pipe and I have to bundle up and clean it out.
I don't do a whole lot of experiments right now, for a variety of reasons (mostly space and equipment, though) But I'm supposed to get some -10 maybe
-15C weather next week, so if anyone can think of something simple to do in moderate cold, I might try it. Right now, It's unseasonably warm here with
+3C! |
Not really related, I didn't know this and I wanted to fill one of those cigarette lighters so I drilled a hole in the side of the lighter and put
some butane in, then to test, I plugged the hole with my finger and tried to light it with my other hand. My grip slipped on the hole I drilled as I
struck the lighter. I just remember a fireball and the lighter lying on the ground thinking "man, that was stupid".
More seriously though, cold weather might be ideal for making bromine with less losses.
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Σldritch
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I want to try liquefying chlorine and/or ammonia some cold day or night. Midnight chlorine fires sounds fun.
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AJKOER
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I once used a cold spill to freeze a good amount of chlorine water to form chlorine hydrate. I harvested the crystals which, to my surprise, can melt
easily in warming sunlight.
Link to my prior comments on chlorine hydrate at http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=28777&... .
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