Background
Pressure exerted by a gaseous substance in a closed container depends on a number of factors, such as temperature, number of gaseous particles etc. When one or more of those factors change for a gas in a closed container some times the result can be quite dramatic.
Resources:
M4 Chemistry Matter II: State and Energy. PowerPoint slides on the relationship between state of matter and energy content of particles in a sample of the matter.
Discrepant Event
A conical flask with a little bit of water and a peeled hard-boiled egg on its mouth is heated over a Bunsen Burner until the water starts boiling. Then the flask is taken off the tripod stand and allowed to cool down on the bench. Watch the video to see what happens next.
And the question is: Why did the egg go into the flask?
Extension question: H0w would you get the egg out in one piece without breaking the flask?
Concepts involved:
- boiling/evaporation, temperature, pressure, expansion, condensation, cooling, atmospheric pressure (additional concepts: vacuum, contraction).
