I need help. I need to figure out what happens to its molecules. Its for a science fair project. I'm having two syringes connected together by a tube and im compressing water into it to see what happens to it. please help out if you can. if you can somehow talk about its molecules?
2007-02-13 11:57:04 · 4 answers · asked by Kate L 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Water is only very slightly compressible. This means they don't get that much closer together when you squeeze one syringe, but even a very small compression will result in an increase in pressure.
The force you apply to the one syringe squeezes all the water molecules in both syringes together just a little so that they will try to expand back in all directions.
On a molecular basis, molecules repel other molecules due to their electrical charges. You can see the same thing if you rub two balloons on your head and try to bring the rubbed spots on the balloons together.
2007-02-13 12:07:17 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water is considered to be incompressible.
However, if you trap a volume of water in a sealed pipeline or tank with no pressure safety device,increasing the temperature by just
1°C will increase the pressure tremendously.
You're entering the world of 'Hydraulics'.
This is due to the expansion of the water where the molecules move further apart.
(This is also the case when a closed, water filled pipe freezes. Freezing also causes expansion. This is often the cause of burst pipes in winter. The burst is not noticed until the ice melts and the water leak is seen).
With your tube and 2 syringes, if you can exert enough force on the plungers, you'll either blow the tube off the syringes or burst a syringe or the tube.
2007-02-13 14:09:50 · answer #2 · answered by Norrie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yup, the molecules do get scrunched together, but the amount of force required to get anything you could measure or show off would be hugely larger than a science fair project could show. Matter of fact, it is the relative uncompressability that makes it useful for hydraulic machinery, like jacks and such. Press on one syringe and the plunger in the other will move. Use different diameter syringes and the ration of the motion will be the same as the ratio of the diameters squared. Ah ha, we just re-defined your science fair project. A demonstration of the transmission of force using hydraulics. Use a long tube. Shape it like a pretzel. Run it up one sleeve of your shirt and out the other. Have fun.
2007-02-13 13:44:17 · answer #3 · answered by ZORCH 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The molecules get closer together to scrunch together. This will stop at some point though.
2007-02-13 11:59:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋