I came into my hotel room after class to find a flier on the floor. It seems that
"I am invited to join in the fun at GUEST APPRECIATION NIGHT tonight from 6:00 till 8:00 in the courtyard. The theme is Mexican Night. Food, drinks, music, door prizes and more,,,"
The image of a bunch of "suits" dancing around and doing dorky games is enough to send me scurrying for my book, not to mention hazy memories of tequila shots around people who annoy me. Just the smell of a margerita usually sends my tummy churning. I guess I will hide in my room till the fiesta is over and then head out for a late dinner somewhere.
Today in class I stumped my teacher. Only for a few minutes but still, it was fun. We were discussing the Specific Gravity of asphalt when he stated that all S.G.s were relative to water at 77 degrees F. Why 77?Because it is a good even number. Why does the temprature matter? Water becomes more dense as it gets colder, thus making it heavier. Most rocks have a S.G. of 2.6 to 2.9 Gold is 19. That means that gold is 19 times more dense than water. Most rocks are close to 3 times the density of water.
My question; If water gains density as it gets colder, which means that it gets heavier, why does ice float?
Blank stare.
Good question.
We came to this conclusion; the density does change but the weight doesn't change that much. 600 grams of water at 77 F will weigh something like 601.945 at 34 F.(Please don't check those numbers because I made them up!) The floating comes from the trapped air within the ice which cannot be removed except through melting which is bringing up the temp which is lowering the S.G. which evens back out with the water.
Excuse me while I go do something Jockulistic to make up for all this nerdism. Maybe I will go to the Fiesta and punch out some guy for singing "Tequila" or go watch the basketball game on the bigscreen in the main entrance.
Nah, I'll just go read my book in the bath tub.
P.S. Cori at "A Gag Reflex" has finished her story for now and is looking at a book deal. She actually mentions me in a new post and has a quick link to my page! It is like being on Letterman!
P.S.S. Mandy, I miss you and Luke SOOOO Much, you are the peas to my carrots.
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3 comments:
Here is the actual answer to the water question. The colder a liquid is the more dense it becomes. This is true with freshwater too, up to a point. But at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit water reaches its densest point. Amazingly, as water cools further, it actually becomes less dense.
Each water molecule is made of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. These are connected to one another by very strong chemical bonds called covalent bonds. Water molecules are connected to each other by much weaker chemical bonds called hydrogen bonds between the positively charged hydrogen atoms, and one negatively charged oxygen atom in a neighboring water molecule.
As water gets colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit the hydrogen bonds connecting different water molecules adjust to keep the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart. This results in a crystal latice which begins to form at less than 4o degrees Fahrenheit. This crystal latice is completely formed at freezing, and is commonly known as ice.
So, why does ice float? Like most things that float, ice floats because it is less dense than liquid water. Ice is about 9% less dense. When ice forms, it takes up about 9% more space than it did as a liquid. Thus, a 1 liter container of ice weighs less than a 1 liter container of liquid water, and the lighter material floats to the top.
Thank you, Arlyn, for clearing that up for me. I will be using this tomorrow in class to destroy my teacher and send the rest of the students fumbling into their pocket protectors for their scientific calculators. Maybe not but I am SO excited for you and Angie. For those who don't know, Arlyn worked with me at QOre before graduating at UAB and going on to engineer for another firm. Arlyn and his wife are expecting a child in a couple of months! Their first! I will continue to pray for you guys.
Oh, and thanks for dropping by.
P.S. I think I will go to the Fiesta so I will have something to post about later.
The S.G. of Eleanor the fish is 7.7, I believe.
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