I got something awesome in the mail today- liquid carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a gas at room temperature and sublimates at atmospheric pressures, skipping the liquid phase altogether. However, when put under several atmospheres of pressure, one can observe liquid carbon dioxide at room temperature, though much above that, it passes its critical point and becomes a supercritical fluid.
Here's why the liquid carbon dioxide disappeared due to the hot water treatment: it went from a liquid to what's called a supercritical fluid. Supercritical fluids exist in a sort of twilight zone between liquid and gas. However, unlike a liquid, a supercritical fluid has no definite surface; and thus: no meniscus. One planet that has an entire OCEAN of supercritical carbon dioxide is Venus.
One interesting use of supercritical carbon dioxide is in the decaffeination of coffee beans. I, for one, am glad that we can use supercritical carbon dioxide to dissolve away caffeine instead of having to use dangerous and toxic organic solvents!
Basically, a supercritical fluid has a density similar to that of a liquid, BUT it also has the same (LOW) viscosity and diffusivity as a gas. Yes, this means that when you enter Venus' supercritical CO2 ocean, you don't splash down since there's no meniscus; but you would find yourself slowly floating down to the surface. This is, in fact, how the Soviet Venera landers were able to soft-land on the surface of Venus without any parachutes: by taking advantage of the liquid-like supercritical carbon dioxide.
can the be pure liquid carbon not CO2 but just C
Did you encase these yourself or were they purchased? Thank you
Surely this be sorcery!
But seriously, that's pretty freaking cool. I had completely forgotten this.
More atheist debates! i love hearing about how clueless christians can be at times!
Have you Isolated bromine? you should ampule it and put it in that acrylic block.
Cool. I didn't know what I was looking at until you brought in the second thing. Is there a purpose for having this? Or just fun?
interesting