What is the can crushing experiment?

When you squeeze on the can, the pressure outside becomes greater than the pressure inside. If you squeeze hard enough the can collapses. When the water vapor condensed, the pressure inside the can became much less than the air pressure outside. Then the air outside crushed the can.

Why does a soda can crush when heated?

As the hot steam cools and condenses to water, a vacuum is created inside the can and atmospheric pressure will crush it.

Can Crusher experiment Charles Law?

When the can is filled with water vapor, the pressure inside the can is greater than the pressure on the outside of the can. When immersed in water, the water seals the opening and the vapor inside the can condenses, thus reducing the pressure inside the can and causing the can to be crushed.

Can you get crushed by water?

Water doesn’t squish — a cubic foot of liquid water always weighs 64 pounds, and 64 pounds of liquid water always takes up one cubic foot of space. Deep water would squeeze the air in your body, especially in your sinuses and lungs. Since air is compressible, these spaces would eventually collapse.

How much force is needed to crush an aluminum can?

An all aluminum can will support 210 pounds before collapsing, a one-piece tin plated steel can can support 335 pounds before collapsing and a seamed steel can will support 645 pounds before collapsing.

How do you do a can crusher experiment?

Once the water in the can is boiling (steam will be coming out of the can and you should be able to hear the “popping” sound of boiling water), use the tongs to remove the can from the pan and quickly (without splashing boiling water!) bring the can to the bowl of water, turn it upside down, and immerse the can in the cold water.

Why does a can of pop get crushed?

The pop can should become crushed because the very little remaining air quickly cools and the steam becomes liquid. Since the atmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure of the leftover air inside the can, the pop can is crushed. Turn off the hot plate and discuss what happened as a group.

Why did the can get crushed in the crusher?

Challenge your child to explain why the can was crushed. If she mentions pressure and/or condensation she’s off to a great start! Here’s what happened: Boiling the water in the can decreases the air pressure inside, creating a partial vacuum.

How do you make a can crusher in the kitchen?

Try this simple experiment and watch a can magically crush before your eyes. Take the empty aluminum can and put about two tablespoons of water in it. With the burner turned off, put the can on a burner on the stove. Turn the burner on. Wait for the water in the can to boil. When you see steam come out of the can, turn off the burner.