Temperatures in Chicago plummeted to 16 degrees below zero yesterday, with the wind chill hitting 40 degrees below zero. That’s just a bit chillier than our usual deck activity temperatures, but we thought we’d make the most of the blustery cold and have some fun.
In the video below, a pitcher of boiling hot water is thrown into the air and instantly turns into a cloud of “snow” that’s quickly blown away. Why does it happen? Hot water is already pretty close to a gaseous state, which is why steam can be seen rising from it. When it’s thrown into the air, the water separates into droplets that vaporize instantly due to a high surface area to volume ratio. Since the very dense cold air has little room for vapor molecules, the molecules are forced to cling to particles in the air and crystallize. That causes the “snow” effect seen in the video.
Also, check out DMC Sales Coordinator, Megan Lentine, on CBS Chicago News. Around the 1:15 minute mark, she shares her strategy for dressing for the weather and just how cold it felt.
Comments
There are currently no comments, be the first to post one.