2B50.10 • Expanding Liquid

Photos show the demonstration used at the University of Texas at Austin.

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Concepts Conveyed:

• This demo shows the properties of liquids due to thermodynamics, namely the ideal gas law. Since the pressure remains constant, the volume that the liquid is taking up increases with temperature and decreases as it cools.

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Instructions / Notes:

• Add or remove the flasks from the hot plate to see how the changes in temperature effect the volume.
• Once the water reaches the split as shown in the pictures, remove the flask from the hot plate to prevent overflow.

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Demo Staff:

• About 15 minutes before class, heat one of the flasks on max heat.
• Leave one flask unheated, so the professor can heat it on their own during class if they so choose.

Last updated on March 13, 2025