Mark's Discrepant Event: Mysterious Rising Water
Author: Mark Yaney
In this super easy -- yet discrepant -- event, colored water rises up into a glass after it is placed over lit candle. I used common household items (which I purchased from Vons) and the whole thing cost me $8. I already had the water, the glass and the plate.
Principle(s) Illustrated
As part of the Ideal gas law, as gases cool, they become less dense. The opposite would be in Charles' Law, such as the hot air balloon where heated air expands.
Standards
MS-ESS2-5.
MS-ESS2-6.
Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
And to a lesser degree...
HS-ESS3-2.
Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.*
Explanation
As combustion occurs inside the glass, CO2 and Water vapor form. When the all of the oxygen as O2 reacts to form CO2 and water vapor, no more O2 remains, and the combustion reaction ceases. As the water vapor in the glass condenses, it contracts to form a vacuum, and the liquid water under the glass is naturally pulled upward for until atmospheric pressure occurs.
Prior knowledge & experience:
Combustion involves heat
Hot air rises, and expands
Root question:
What will happen to the water under the glass?
Target response:
The water will rise to restore equilibrium to the system.
Common Misconceptions:
Oxygen is burned away, creating less air.
References
The Next Generation Science Standards
Why does the water Rise? (Sick Science - he paid his cameraman more)