How can I heat water without using electricity or fire?

Question

My physics class has an assignment to heat room temperature water without using any heaters or fire to raise the temperature.

Answer 1

You could shake the (closed) container that it's in VERY VIGOROUSLY. The kinetic energy you're putting into the shaking, even if it's basically along two linearly opposed directions, would be converted into random internal energy in the water, thus raising its temperature. But I hate to think how long you might have to shake it by hand to get a measurable rise in the temperature!

If your lab comes with a "shake-" or "vibration-table" (geophysics labs might have those) that would be a good way to do it.

You might also win Brownie points by pointing out to your instructor that the so-called "mechanical equivalent of heat" was first appreciated and determined by the young English manufacturer Joule, who took assistants with him around Europe to measure the increase in the temperature of water at the bottom of the highest waterfalls he could find. (He argued that the kinetic energy gained from falling from such a great height must be reflected in a higher temperature for water at the bottom of the waterfall, after impact on the rocks there, than it had had at the top.)

Let us know how it works out!

Live long and prosper.

Answer 2

Chemical reaction does not use heaters, but unfortunately the microwave is a heater, and I guess a purist might also say that using the sun in any way was also using a heater. The use of radio-active waste is quite a valid option, as it is constantly warm. Cooling is an issue with the storage of highly active waste. I believe that somewhere in the Scandinavian countries they ran a real pilot experiment using medium active waste as under-floor heating. The problems with this approach today appear more emotional (illogically so) than feasible. Maybe you can somehow bottle friction!!

Answer 3

Use something that causes an exothermic reaction.

How about a sodium acetate thermal pad?

You could also just pour calcium carbide in the water. Calcium carbide is really cool stuff (figuratively speaking). You can order it on the web.
Google for "bangsite". I still have bangsite cannon from when I was a kid. They used to sell 'em at fireworks stands.

Oh yeah, no open flames if you go the bangsite route - all the gas that is produced when it mixes with water? Acetylene!

Answer 4

You could add mechanical energy to it, such as recirculating it through a pump, which would gradually heat up the water.

Solar heating, such as the sun, bright lights, etc.

A chemical reaction that was exothermic could be used to heat water as well.

Radioactive decay could also do it, although not a good plan in the classroom ;)

Just a few thoughts there...

Answer 5

Simplest method is to make a " crude ' solar oven, which you could have a maginfying glass above to really focus the heat energy to the water. It really won't take too long to heat to a noticable degree.

Answer 6

stick it in a microwave oven (ie heat by radiation)

drop some CaO into the water (heat by exothermic chemical rxn)

wrap it in insulation and put it in a paint can and shake it a long time (heat by frictional forces)

Answer 7

put it in your mouth until it gets up the the temp. of your body...approx. 98 degrees f.

2. push two metal plates together oppositely spinning on a grinding wheels so the friction heats them up to several hundred degrees...then drop them in the water.

Answer 8

you can use a convex lens and make suns rays converge at a point....this can light up a piece of paper or sumthing...u can use the fire to heat up the water

Answer 9

You need to use some source of energy, you could mix it with a solid block of sodium and blow your face off, but then you wouldn't have water anymore would you.

Answer 10

Lacking precise definitions of your terms, I would suggest solar heat (fusion), atomic reactor (fission), friction, or any exothermic chemical reaction.