Rocket science has a reputation for being an incredibly difficult subject. But while there’s complexity in the execution, the concept behind rockets is pretty simple: throw mass out the back Keep reading
Tag: phase change
Supercooling Thermodynamics
In the latest Gastrofiscia episode, Tippe Top Physics takes on thermodynamics and the complicated truth behind certain phase changes. Although we’re accustomed to thinking of water freezing at 0 degrees Celsius and Keep reading
Phase-Switching to Avoid Icing
Preventing ice and frost from forming on surfaces – especially airplane wings – is a major engineering concern. The chemical de-icing cocktails currently used in aviation are a short-lived solution, Keep reading
Inside a Can of Compressed Air
Many gases are stored in liquid form at high pressures. This video takes a look at tetrafluoroethane, better known as the substance in compressed air cans used for dusting electronics. Keep reading
Going Supercritical
Supercritical fluids exist at temperatures and pressures above the critical point, in a region of the phase diagram where there is no clear boundary between the liquid and gaseous state. Keep reading
Geyser Physics
Three basic components are necessary for a geyser: water, an intense geothermal heat source, and an appropriate plumbing system. In order to achieve an explosive eruption, the plumbing of a Keep reading
Cavitation in a Bottle
Sudden changes in the pressure or temperature in a liquid can create bubbles in a process known as cavitation. Underwater explosions are just one of the ways to induce cavitation Keep reading
Propeller Cavitation
Cavitation occurs in moving liquids when the local pressure–in this case, at the tip of the propeller–drops below the vapor pressure. The fast-moving fluid transitions to a gas phase, creating Keep reading
Supercritical Fluids
Supercritical fluids live in the region of a phase diagram beyond the critical point. At these temperatures and pressures, a substance is neither strictly liquid nor a gas but exhibits Keep reading
Freezing Soap Bubbles
This is what it looks like when a soap bubble freezes. Perhaps not strictly fluid mechanical in nature, but it’s a nice thermodynamics demonstration.