Introduction

A pocket-sized amount of water is added to an aluminum soda tin can and brought to boiling on a hot plate or with a Bunsen burner.  The water gas molecules will occupy all the space inside the tin since the air molecules have been pushed out. The hot gas molecules are the same pressure as the air exterior the can. When the can is placed in cold water upside down, the hot gas water molecules are cooled very rapidly. Some of the gas molecules are condensed dorsum into liquid water so there are less molecules of water in the gas stage inside the can. The common cold water will also cool any remaining gas molecules, decreasing their kinetic energy and therefore decreases the number of collisions with the walls of the can. This decreases the force per unit area inside the can.  Since the air pressure outside the can is stronger than that inside the tin, information technology causes the tin can to collapse.

H2O(g) à   H2o(l)

Can before being crushed
Crushed can

To Comport Demonstration

  1. Place the can containing water on a hot plate (turned to loftier) or a ring stand with a Bunsen burner underneath.
  2. Let several minutes for the water to come to a full boil.
  3. Steam must displace the air within the tin; expect until you run into a steady flow of steam exiting the spout, then immediately remove                   the tin from the estrus and place in the ice water bath.
  4. Every bit the hot steam cools and condenses to water, a vacuum is created within the can and atmospheric pressure will vanquish it.

NOTES:

  1. 250 ml water to a 5 gallon tin can
  2. 20 min to boil, ane or 2 min to collapse.  Collapsing will take longer if the can is left     to heat longer and   it itself gets hot.
  3. Requires a large hotplate.

Safety

If using a large tin practice non continue heating the can after inserting the rubber stopper every bit pressure will increase.