Cecily Zamora
The can crusher experiment is a simple way to demonstrate gas laws in action, specifically Charles's Law, which states that gases expand when heated and contract when cooled. By filling a small soda can with a small amount of water and heating it until the water boils, the resulting vapour will condense and the can will implode due to the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the can. This experiment can also be used to demonstrate Boyle's Law, which states that the volume of a given amount of gas is inversely proportional to the pressure exerted on it. The can crusher experiment is a fun and educational way to learn about the properties of gases and the laws that govern them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Objective | To crush an empty soda can and explore simple science concepts like air pressure, equilibrium, water vapor, condensation, and unbalanced forces |
| Hypothesis | Heating water in a can to its boiling point and then inverting it into a bowl of cold water will create a vacuum, resulting in decreased vapor pressure, causing the can to implode |
| Safety Measures | Ensure the activity is supervised and performed with caution |
| Gas Law | Charles's Law, Boyle's Law, Gay-Lussac's Law, Ideal Gas Law |
| Principle | Gases expand when heated and contract when cooled |
| Materials | Small soda can, water, burner, tongs, glass bowl, chilled water |
| Procedure | Fill the can with 2 tablespoons of water, heat it until boiling, turn off the heat when steam escapes, use tongs to invert the hot can over the bowl of chilled water |
| Observation | The can implodes due to a pressure imbalance, and the inside of the can fills with water |
| Explanation | The rapid cooling of water molecules causes an imbalance in pressure, with higher pressure outside the can, resulting in an inward collapse |
What You'll Learn
Boyle's Law
The can crusher experiment demonstrates the effect of atmospheric pressure and the underlying principles of gases. This phenomenon can be explained by Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law.
For example, consider blowing air into a balloon. As you blow air into it, the pressure of the air inside the balloon pushes against the rubber, causing the balloon to expand. If you squeeze one end of the inflated balloon, the volume decreases, and the pressure inside increases, causing the other end to expand outward. This behaviour illustrates Boyle's Law in action.
In the can crusher experiment, the can is heated, causing the water inside to boil and creating steam. When the hot can is quickly inverted and placed into a bowl of cold water, the temperature inside the can drops suddenly. This rapid decrease in temperature leads to a decrease in the pressure inside the can, creating a vacuum. As a result, the higher atmospheric pressure outside the can crushes it inward, demonstrating the principles of Boyle's Law.
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Charles's Law
Mathematically, the direct relationship of Charles's Law can be represented by the following equation: V1/T1 = V2/T2. Where V1 and T1 stand for the initial volume and temperature of a gas, while V2 and T2 stand for the final volume and temperature. This equation can be used to calculate any one of the four quantities if the other three are known. It is important to note that the temperatures must be expressed in Kelvin, not in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
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Gay-Lussac's Law
The law is particularly relevant when dealing with pressurized containers, such as aerosol cans or pressure cookers. For example, when a deodorant can or spray-paint can is heated, the pressure exerted by the gases inside the container increases due to Gay-Lussac's Law, which can lead to an explosion. This is why such containers typically have warning labels advising users to keep them away from fire and store them in cool environments.
The Crushing Can Experiment, which demonstrates the effect of atmospheric pressure, can be explained in part by Gay-Lussac's Law, along with other gas laws such as Boyle's Law and Charles's Law. The experiment involves heating an empty can, creating a vacuum by rapidly cooling it, and observing the resulting implosion due to the pressure imbalance between the outside and inside of the can. This simple experiment helps illustrate the complex principles of gas laws and the behaviour of gases.
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Gas expansion and contraction
The can-crusher experiment demonstrates how gases expand when heated and contract when cooled. This principle is the basic premise of Charles's Law, which was formulated by the French scientist Jacques Charles in 1787. Charles's Law can be explained by the following equation:
> V1 is the initial volume of the can, T1 is the initial temperature of the air in Kelvin, V2 is the final volume of the can, and T2 is the final temperature of the air (in Kelvin). We will assume that the pressure and number of moles of the air are constant.
The can-crusher experiment involves placing a small amount of water in a small soda can and boiling it for about a minute. As the water boils, vapour will begin to escape from the opening of the can. At this point, the can should be removed from the heat source and quickly inverted over a bowl of cold water. The sudden drop in temperature causes the water vapour inside the can to cool and condense, creating a vacuum. This results in a decrease in vapour pressure, and the can implodes due to the greater external pressure.
This experiment can also be performed with a glass bottle and a balloon. By stretching a balloon over the mouth of a bottle filled with boiling water, the subsequent cooling of the bottle will cause the balloon to be sucked into it and inflate. This occurs because the balloon traps the water vapour inside the bottle, and as the bottle cools, the vapour condenses and is replaced by outside air pressure. The balloon expands to allow the outside air pressure to enter the bottle. This experiment demonstrates the power of compressed air and the expansion and contraction of gases.
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Atmospheric pressure
The can-crusher experiment demonstrates how atmospheric pressure, or air pressure, can easily crush a can. This experiment can be performed at home with everyday household items and is a great demonstration of simple scientific concepts like air pressure, equilibrium, water vapour, condensation, and unbalanced forces.
The can-crusher experiment is based on the combined gas law, which states that pressure, volume, temperature, and the amount of a gas are all interrelated. It is a combination of three fundamental gas laws: Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law.
To perform the can-crusher experiment, you will need an empty aluminium soda can and a burner. Pour two tablespoons of water into the can and place it on the burner. Heat the can until the water reaches its boiling point and steam begins to escape from the opening. Then, using tongs, carefully invert the hot can over a glass bowl containing cold water.
As the can is flipped upside down, the water molecules rapidly cool down, causing an imbalance in the outside and inside pressures around the can. According to Boyle's Law, the volume of a certain amount of gas is inversely proportional to its pressure. When the can is heated, the pressure inside and outside the can is equal. However, when it is rapidly cooled by the cold water, the pressure outside the can becomes stronger and greater than the pressure inside. As a result, the can implodes, collapsing in on itself due to the greater external pressure.
This experiment illustrates the power of atmospheric pressure and how it can easily crush a can when there is an imbalance in pressure between the inside and outside of the can.
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Frequently asked questions
The can crusher experiment demonstrates the effect of atmospheric pressure. It involves heating a can filled with a small amount of water and then quickly inverting it into a bowl of cold water. The can then implodes due to the imbalance of pressure between the outside and inside of the can.
The can crusher experiment can be explained by Charles's Law, Boyle's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law. It also demonstrates the Ideal Gas Law, which combines all three gas laws to prove that pressure, volume, temperature, and the amount of a gas are all interrelated.
When the hot can is inverted into the cold water, there is a sudden drop in temperature, causing the water molecules to cool rapidly. This leads to a pressure imbalance, with the pressure outside the can being stronger than the pressure inside. As a result, the can implodes, and the water is pulled into the can due to the higher external pressure.
