The water that wouldn't freeze...

[clicknext]

A while ago, someone posted a thread about a water bottle which was put into a freezer but wouldn't freeze. When it was opened and pressure equalized, it crystalized.

Can anyone point me to that thread? I've searched through the archives, but couldn't find it.

 

[Mean MrMustard]

Umm... I did this with beer all the time. Put it in the freezer, 15 minutes later take it out and have an ice cold beer. Sometimes I would forget about it and an hour later open it up only for it to freezed near instantly.

 

[clicknext]

What is this phenomena called?

 

[RagingBITCH]

Freezing point depression I think?

 

[InverseOfNeo]

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

I have no idea. Hope this helps?

 

[illusion88]

Originally posted by: InverseOfNeo

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

I have no idea. Hope this helps?

no, we are gonna need some serious firepower

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

It's called super-cooling IIRC. You can have a similar phenomenon called super-heating happen with water in the microwave, where it's above the boiling point but doesn't boil until you disturb it somehow.

 

[bpctech]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

It's called super-cooling IIRC. You can have a similar phenomenon called super-heating happen with water in the microwave, where it's above the boiling point but doesn't boil until you disturb it somehow.

yep, my physics teacher talked about this once, but I can't remember what it was called.

done this boiling water in a pot on the stove once before. I remember it was on max heat forever, and nothing was happening. No air bubbles or anything, just complete calmness. I grabbed my salt shaker and sprinkled some salt in which I commonly do when boiling water for pasta and the thing exploded on me. It actually can be very serious if it gets on your face as the water is at 100+ degrees celcius.:Q

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: bpctech

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

It's called super-cooling IIRC. You can have a similar phenomenon called super-heating happen with water in the microwave, where it's above the boiling point but doesn't boil until you disturb it somehow.

yep, my physics teacher talked about this once, but I can't remember what it was called.

done this boiling water in a pot on the stove once before. I remember it was on max heat forever, and nothing was happening. No air bubbles or anything, just complete calmness. I grabbed my salt shaker and sprinkled some salt in which I commonly do when boiling water for pasta and the thing exploded on me. It actually can be very serious if it gets on your face as the water is at 100+ degrees celcius.:Q

Gas stove? Stainless steal pot? If this occurs often, try dropping a toothpick in the water when you start to heat it up.

For superheating or super cooling to occur, you have to have a relatively clean, smooth vessel that (most importantly) isn't moved, jostled, or vibrated.

I'm off to put a water bottle in the freezer...

R

 

[bpctech]

Originally posted by: rgwalt

Originally posted by: bpctech

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

It's called super-cooling IIRC. You can have a similar phenomenon called super-heating happen with water in the microwave, where it's above the boiling point but doesn't boil until you disturb it somehow.

yep, my physics teacher talked about this once, but I can't remember what it was called.

done this boiling water in a pot on the stove once before. I remember it was on max heat forever, and nothing was happening. No air bubbles or anything, just complete calmness. I grabbed my salt shaker and sprinkled some salt in which I commonly do when boiling water for pasta and the thing exploded on me. It actually can be very serious if it gets on your face as the water is at 100+ degrees celcius.:Q

Gas stove? Stainless steal pot? If this occurs often, try dropping a toothpick in the water when you start to heat it up.

For superheating or super cooling to occur, you have to have a relatively clean, smooth vessel that (most importantly) isn't moved, jostled, or vibrated.

I'm off to put a water bottle in the freezer...

R

It was on a gas stove, I'd guess the pot was probably stainless steal. Never happened to me before, but I remember when I told my mom (I was at home at the time) she knew of the phenomenon, from a cooking standpoint at least. So I assume it's probably happened to her before, but this was probably 2-3 years ago.

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: bpctech

Originally posted by: rgwalt

Originally posted by: bpctech

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: clicknext
What is this phenomena called?

It's called super-cooling IIRC. You can have a similar phenomenon called super-heating happen with water in the microwave, where it's above the boiling point but doesn't boil until you disturb it somehow.

yep, my physics teacher talked about this once, but I can't remember what it was called.

done this boiling water in a pot on the stove once before. I remember it was on max heat forever, and nothing was happening. No air bubbles or anything, just complete calmness. I grabbed my salt shaker and sprinkled some salt in which I commonly do when boiling water for pasta and the thing exploded on me. It actually can be very serious if it gets on your face as the water is at 100+ degrees celcius.:Q

Gas stove? Stainless steal pot? If this occurs often, try dropping a toothpick in the water when you start to heat it up.

For superheating or super cooling to occur, you have to have a relatively clean, smooth vessel that (most importantly) isn't moved, jostled, or vibrated.

I'm off to put a water bottle in the freezer...

R

It was on a gas stove, I'd guess the pot was probably stainless steal. Never happened to me before, but I remember when I told my mom (I was at home at the time) she knew of the phenomenon, from a cooking standpoint at least. So I assume it's probably happened to her before, but this was probably 2-3 years ago.

Gas stoves heat very evenly, and stainless steel pots are very smooth. These two factors combined with a still environment doesn't provide a surface location where a gas bubble can form. So the water superheats, and when it is moved a large pocket of steam (gas phase water) forms. When it leaves the pot, it tends to take hot water with it... obviously a potential problem.

Ryan

 

[MoJoichiban]

heh. This message has taken a complete 180 from "the water that wouldn't freeze" to "the water that wouldn't boil."

 

[Cooljt1]

so if i put a water bottle in the freezer it wont freeze but once i open it up it will?

 

[NinjaGnome]

Ive never had this happen to me but then again i dont freeze things often.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Cooljt1
so if i put a water bottle in the freezer it wont freeze but once i open it up it will?

If it's in a very smooth container that is cooled evenly and is not disturbed at all.

 

[dighn]

i wanna make some super cooled water!!! has anyone succeeded in making that with a regular home-use freezer?

 

[pnho]

Originally posted by: dighn
i wanna make some super cooled water!!! has anyone succeeded in making that with a regular home-use freezer?

add salt

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: pnho

Originally posted by: dighn
i wanna make some super cooled water!!! has anyone succeeded in making that with a regular home-use freezer?

add salt

but then it wouldn't freeze instantly when disturbed, would it?

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: dighn
but then it wouldn't freeze instantly when disturbed, would it?

I don't think so. Salt would only lower the freezing temperature by a bit. I think ideally it works out to 0°F.

 

Originally posted by: Cooljt1
so if i put a water bottle in the freezer it wont freeze but once i open it up it will?

Haven't you ever had a beer in the freezer for a while then when you got it out it looked fine, then when you opened it it froze? Been there done that....

 

[Zebo]

The water is frozen, called amorphous ice. The only thing stopping from crystalline ICE as you know it is pressure represented by this phase diagram.

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/phase.html

 

[DurocShark]

Zebo nailed it. Pressure lowers the freezing point of water. The higher the pressure, the lower the freezing point. And the higher the boiling point too...

The discussion about boiling water...

Here's an experiment for ya'll. It's dangerous so make sure you're protected.

Get a ceramic bowl. One with no scratches or cracks in it. Fill it 3/4 full with water. Put it in your microwave with the carousel removed and cook on high for 2 minutes. Don't disturb it... Let it cool completely. Cook it again for 4 minutes.

Now, you should notice that the water still isn't boiling. Wearing your fireproof underoos and a face shield and some waterproof gloves, toss a toothpick or something in the bowl of water.

Scalding water explosion!

 

[MainFramed]

back when i was working in the summer i would wake up toss a water bottle in the freezer and 30 minutes later as i was leaving pull it out, and it would be crystalized...not froze. just perfect throught the day.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm tempted to do it for 99:99 and see how hot it gets.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Zebo
The water is frozen, called amorphous ice. The only thing stopping from crystalline ICE as you know it is pressure represented by this phase diagram.

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/phase.html

Ah, the memories, they hurts us.

There was a site on the net and the guy did the superheating thing and filmed it a few times. He'd use a microwave and a cup and when a fork was inserted the water blew up. It's easier in a microwave to superheat water than on a stove AFAIK.