What can pass through that water can't?

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
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Drinking coke now and made me think. Once you break the cap seal, it'll go flat even if closed.

How does the carbonation gas escape the bottle when the liquid can't?

Also, are there materials (natural or artificial) that can hold water, but allow other things to permeate?
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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Glass can hold water, but allow light to pass through.

Everything depends on the molecular size of the container.
 

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
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Glass can hold water, but allow light to pass through.

Everything depends on the molecular size of the container.

I meant more 'physical' or 'tangible' things than light (let's not get anal here).

Let's say I create a precise material of mesh that's just fine enough to hold water. Can that precise mesh allow other things to filter, but water?
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
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I meant more 'physical' or 'tangible' things than light (let's not get anal here).

Let's say I create a precise material of mesh that's just fine enough to hold water. Can that precise mesh allow other things to filter, but water?

If its sized to the molecule sure. Look at reverse osmosis systems, they've basically got a permeable membrane that only allows the "pure" water to get through.
 

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
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If its sized to the molecule sure. Look at reverse osmosis systems, they've basically got a permeable membrane that only allows the "pure" water to get through.

Well it's easy to filter adulteration out of water. That's similar to sink trap capturing food debris.

I meant the other way around. Is there anything 'thinner' than water that can pass through such mesh that water can't?
 

CLite

Golden Member
Dec 6, 2005
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Drinking coke now and made me think. Once you break the cap seal, it'll go flat even if closed.

How does the carbonation gas escape the bottle when the liquid can't?

Also, are there materials (natural or artificial) that can hold water, but allow other things to permeate?

Goretex/Omni-tech & associated products to name some of many. Watertight is almost always less sealing than air tight, although I'm sure some membrane could be designed that transports water molecules preferentially over air molecules.

*edit* Another obvious example is the cork in a wine bottle.
 
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destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
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As for pop, most likely the gas is not escaping the bottle.
What is happening is the gas escapes into the thin atmosphere that fills the top of the bottle, and then, when you open it, bye bye gas.

You'll also notice how much faster even a fairly new bottle will go flat, based on how much liquid remains. If you take most of the bottle out, reseal it, check in a few days... it'll be flat most likely. If you only take a few swigs, seal it and check back in a few days, it won't be nearly as flat, if much flatter at all.

Try this: once finished with your serving, before sealing the bottle completely, squeeze the sides until you have a deformed bottle that has very little "empty space" in the neck.
It won't go flat nearly as fast, in fact, if it's not opened but a few times, the carbonation will be fairly well preserved.

If it's a bad seal, gas could be escaping. But most of the time, that gas is simply waiting beneath the cap, longing to escape the bottle before you can enjoy the beverage. :p
 

zzuupp

Lifer
Jul 6, 2008
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Well it's easy to filter adulteration out of water. That's similar to sink trap capturing food debris.

I meant the other way around. Is there anything 'thinner' than water that can pass through such mesh that water can't?

Probably not outside a chemistry lab: you'd have to get something with a smaller molecular size than water. Then, find a temperature and pressure where they both remain liquid.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
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If that confuses you, wait till you learn about building membranes.

We got vapor permeable, but air barrier; water barrier but vapor permeable; and a bunch of other shit. My mind's blown.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
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Well it's easy to filter adulteration out of water. That's similar to sink trap capturing food debris.

I meant the other way around. Is there anything 'thinner' than water that can pass through such mesh that water can't?

Sounds similar to a molecular sieve. The molecular sieve has tons of tiny pores. Molecules that are small enough can pass into pores while larger molecules can't. One application for these things is to separate water from alcohol.
 

slpaulson

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2000
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I'm sure some gas is escaping the bottle, however I think the soda goes flat more due to the fact that it's no longer super concentrated, and carbonation is able to escape into the air in the bottle because the pressure inside the bottle is no longer as high as it was before the bottle was opened.
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,882
12,158
136
Drinking coke now and made me think. Once you break the cap seal, it'll go flat even if closed.

How does the carbonation gas escape the bottle when the liquid can't?

Also, are there materials (natural or artificial) that can hold water, but allow other things to permeate?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permeation

the CO2 gas is under high pressure. the outside environment is at low pressure. eventually it will equilibrate.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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Drinking coke now and made me think. Once you break the cap seal, it'll go flat even if closed.

How does the carbonation gas escape the bottle when the liquid can't?

Also, are there materials (natural or artificial) that can hold water, but allow other things to permeate?

the regular plastic 2 liter bottles are gas permeable. so even though the bottle is never opened it will eventually go flat.

edit: as for the bottle after opening it, take a look at the volume the gas has to come to equilibrium with before the bottle is ever opened, vs the volume after you've had a drink or two.

henry's law: http://www.800mainstreet.com/9/0009-006-henry.html
 
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Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
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Try this: once finished with your serving, before sealing the bottle completely, squeeze the sides until you have a deformed bottle that has very little "empty space" in the neck.
It won't go flat nearly as fast, in fact, if it's not opened but a few times, the carbonation will be fairly well preserved.
Not really. The vapour pressure from the CO2 will increase the volume anyway.
 

WHAMPOM

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2006
7,628
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Drinking coke now and made me think. Once you break the cap seal, it'll go flat even if closed.

How does the carbonation gas escape the bottle when the liquid can't?

Also, are there materials (natural or artificial) that can hold water, but allow other things to permeate?

Carbonation does not escape the bottle. You released the pressure holding the CO2 in solution with the liquid, allowing the gas to perculate out of the liquid and mix with the air in the bottle. Buy a fizz saver pump to pressurize the bottle and your "fizz" will last and last.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
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Carbonation does not escape the bottle. You released the pressure holding the CO2 in solution with the liquid, allowing the gas to perculate out of the liquid and mix with the air in the bottle. Buy a fizz saver pump to pressurize the bottle and your "fizz" will last and last.

pressurize or depressurize?
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
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when you drink it, then what is replaces it?

air.

and what do you think happens next?

bingo.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
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Yes, opening the bottle drops the pressure in the bottle, allowing more gas to leave the soda, even though you seal the bottle again.