How Hard Is It To Freeze Flowing Water?

The Action Lab
28 Feb 202110:54
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this intriguing experiment, the video explores the possibility of freezing moving water using various methods. The host investigates the freezing point of water, demonstrating supercooling and the concept of nucleation sites. Through tests involving a pump and a magnetic stirrer, the video shows that flowing water can indeed freeze, forming a 'frozen whirlpool'. The experiment reveals that the movement of water doesn't prevent ice formation, and discusses the theoretical limit of supercooled water reaching as low as -48°C. The video is an engaging blend of science and practical demonstration, providing viewers with a deeper understanding of water's behavior under extreme conditions.

Takeaways
  • 🧊 The experiment aims to determine if it's possible to freeze flowing water using different methods.
  • 🌡️ Water typically freezes at zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can actually be supercooled to lower temperatures without freezing.
  • 💧 Supercooling occurs when water is cooled below its freezing point without forming a crystalline pattern, requiring a nucleation site to initiate freezing.
  • 🌀 The experiment tests freezing water in motion, such as water flowing from a pump and water stirred in a vortex by a magnetic stirrer.
  • 🛠️ Liquid nitrogen is used to attempt to freeze the moving water, demonstrating the extreme cold needed to solidify water in motion.
  • 👨‍🔬 The video explains the concept of a 'no slip condition' in fluid dynamics, where water atoms touching the container's surface do not move, affecting freezing.
  • 🏞️ Rivers and streams often don't freeze on cold days because the moving water is well-mixed, requiring the entire body to reach freezing point before ice forms.
  • ❄️ The experiment shows that moving water can indeed freeze, as demonstrated by the frozen whirlpool created with the magnetic stirrer.
  • 🕊️ The white appearance of the quickly frozen ice is due to tiny air bubbles that didn't have time to coalesce into larger bubbles, giving it a pure white color.
  • 🔬 The theoretical limit for supercooling water without it forming ice is around negative 48 degrees Celsius, based on molecular modeling.
  • 📚 The video concludes that while supercooling can significantly lower the freezing point of water, in practice, temperatures around negative 40 to 42 degrees Celsius have been achieved.
Q & A

  • What is the main objective of the experiment in the video?

    -The main objective of the experiment is to determine if it's possible to freeze flowing water using different methods and to explore the concept of supercooling.

  • What is the role of Private Internet Access (PIA) in the video?

    -Private Internet Access (PIA) is the sponsor of the video. They provide a virtual private network service that specializes in hiding IP addresses and encrypting internet connections for security and privacy.

  • What is supercooling and why does it occur?

    -Supercooling is a phenomenon where water remains in a liquid state even below its freezing point. It occurs because water needs a nucleation site or a starting point to form a crystalline pattern and freeze. Without such a site, water can remain unfrozen even when it's below zero degrees Celsius.

  • What is the theoretical limit to how cold liquid water can get before it has to form ice?

    -The theoretical limit to how cold liquid water can get before it has to form ice is negative 48 degrees Celsius. This is based on a study where researchers modeled around 32,000 single molecules of water to determine the minimum temperature needed for spontaneous nucleation.

  • What is the practical limit of supercooling water that has been achieved?

    -The practical limit of supercooling water that has been achieved is around negative 40 to negative 42 degrees Celsius.

  • How does the 'no slip condition' in fluid dynamics relate to the freezing of water?

    -The 'no slip condition' means that the atoms touching the surface of the container do not move at all, even if the liquid inside is swirling. This condition is significant because it allows the cold to penetrate from the outer edges of the container where the water is least moving, facilitating the freezing process.

  • Why does the water in a river not freeze even on very cold days?

    -The water in a river does not freeze on very cold days because it is constantly moving and well-mixed. To freeze, the entire body of water needs to reach at least zero degrees Celsius, which requires the removal of a significant amount of heat.

  • What happens when liquid nitrogen is poured on a magnetic stirrer stirring water?

    -When liquid nitrogen is poured on a magnetic stirrer stirring water, the water freezes in a swirling pattern, maintaining the form of a whirlpool due to the rapid freezing process.

  • Why does the ice formed by supercooling and rapid freezing appear white?

    -The ice appears white because the rapid freezing process does not allow the tiny air bubbles dissolved in the water to coalesce into larger bubbles and escape. Instead, they remain as tiny bubbles throughout the ice, giving it a white appearance.

  • What is the significance of the experiment with the pump and liquid nitrogen?

    -The experiment with the pump and liquid nitrogen demonstrates that the pump itself froze before the water could freeze, indicating that even moving water can be frozen if the conditions are extreme enough.

Outlines
00:00
🧊 Freezing Flowing Water Experiment

The video explores the possibility of freezing flowing water using different methods. The host introduces the concept by discussing the common observation of rivers remaining unfrozen during winter, despite freezing conditions. The experiment involves using a pump to circulate water and a magnetic stirrer to create a vortex, with the goal of determining if these conditions prevent freezing. The video is sponsored by Private Internet Access, a VPN service provider, which is highlighted for its security features and global server network. The host also explains the concept of supercooling, demonstrating how water can be cooled below its freezing point without turning into ice, and how it can instantly freeze when given a nucleation point, such as pouring it over ice.

05:02
🌀 Freezing Water in Motion with Liquid Nitrogen

This section of the script details an experiment where the host attempts to freeze water that is being stirred rapidly by a magnetic stirrer using liquid nitrogen. The host successfully freezes the water in a swirling pattern, creating a 'frozen whirlpool.' The experiment shows that moving water can indeed be frozen, despite the challenges of achieving this due to the no-slip condition at the container's edge and the velocity profile of fluid dynamics. The host also explains that the ice formed is white because the rapid freezing did not allow air bubbles to escape, which typically occurs when ice cubes are formed. The summary touches on the reasons why moving water can hinder ice formation and the theoretical limit of supercooling water to -48°C before it must form ice.

10:04
🔬 The Science Behind Supercooling Water

The final paragraph delves into the scientific research behind supercooling water. It mentions a study by researchers from the University of Utah who modeled the behavior of single water molecules to determine the lowest temperature at which water could spontaneously nucleate and form ice, which is -48°C. Although this theoretical limit has not been practically achieved, temperatures as low as -40°C and -42°C have been recorded. The host wraps up the video by encouraging viewers to subscribe and turn on notifications for future content, emphasizing the educational nature of the experiment and the fascinating science behind water's behavior at extreme temperatures.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Freezing
Freezing refers to the process where a substance changes from a liquid to a solid state as the temperature decreases. In the video's context, the main theme revolves around whether flowing water can be frozen. The script discusses freezing as an experiment to determine the lowest temperature at which liquid water can exist without turning into ice, and demonstrates freezing through the use of liquid nitrogen.
💡Supercooling
Supercooling is a phenomenon where a substance, such as water, is cooled below its normal freezing point without solidifying. The script explains that supercooled water can exist below zero degrees Celsius but requires a nucleation point to begin freezing. The video shows an example of supercooled water turning into ice instantly when it comes into contact with an ice cube.
💡Nucleation Site
A nucleation site is a location or condition that initiates the phase transition from liquid to solid, such as the start of ice formation in water. The script mentions that water needs a nucleation site to begin forming a crystalline pattern and freeze. The pouring of supercooled water onto ice provides such a site, illustrating the concept.
💡Magnetic Stirrer
A magnetic stirrer is a device used to create a vortex in a liquid, which helps in mixing and can also be used to test the freezing of water in motion. In the script, the magnetic stirrer is used to stir water rapidly while liquid nitrogen is added to see if the moving water can be frozen, resulting in a 'frozen whirlpool'.
💡Liquid Nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen is a cryogenic liquid that can be used to achieve extremely low temperatures, making it a tool for rapid freezing. The script describes using liquid nitrogen to attempt to freeze flowing water in different setups, demonstrating its effectiveness in freezing even moving substances.
💡Vortex
A vortex is a spinning, often turbulent, flow of liquid that can form due to the motion of the liquid. The video script describes creating a vortex with a magnetic stirrer in water and then freezing it with liquid nitrogen, resulting in a fascinating 'frozen whirlpool'.
💡No Slip Condition
The no slip condition in fluid dynamics refers to the theoretical boundary condition where the velocity of the fluid at the wall is zero, meaning the fluid particles in contact with the wall do not move. The script explains that this condition is relevant to freezing experiments because the cold from the outside edges of the container meets the least movement of water, aiding in the freezing process.
💡Velocity Profile
The velocity profile in fluid dynamics describes how the speed of a fluid changes across different points in a flow. The script uses the velocity profile to explain why the edges of flowing water are the slowest and the middle is the fastest, which is important for understanding why the water near the container's edge freezes first.
💡Mixing
Mixing refers to the process of combining or blending different substances to achieve a uniform mixture. In the context of the video, mixing is important because it prevents ice crystals from forming in water. The script explains that well-mixed water needs to cool down uniformly before any part of it can freeze.
💡Theoretical Limit
The theoretical limit in the context of the video refers to the lowest temperature at which liquid water can exist without forming ice, which is stated as negative 48 degrees Celsius. The script mentions that researchers have modeled water molecules to determine this limit, although in practice, supercooled water has been cooled to around negative 40 to negative 42 degrees Celsius.
💡Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a leading Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider mentioned in the script as the sponsor of the video. PIA specializes in hiding IP addresses and encrypting internet connections to ensure digital privacy and security. The script discusses PIA's features such as protecting up to 10 devices and offering access to streaming platforms.
Highlights

Experiment to freeze flowing water using different methods.

Sponsorship by Private Internet Access, a leading VPN provider.

Supercooling water below freezing point without it turning to ice.

Demonstration of supercooled water freezing instantly upon impact with ice.

Testing the freezing of water in motion using liquid nitrogen.

Pump freezes before water does, indicating water remains liquid.

Freezing water while stirred by a magnetic stirrer creates a frozen whirlpool.

Observation of ice formation starting from the top and moving downward.

Explanation of why ice forms in a swirling pattern.

Appearance of white ice due to trapped tiny air bubbles.

Theoretical limit of supercooled water is -48 degrees Celsius.

Practical supercooling of water achieved down to -40 or -42 degrees Celsius.

Why rivers and streams don't freeze on cold days despite low temperatures.

Importance of complete body of water reaching zero degrees Celsius for freezing.

No-slip condition in fluid dynamics affecting freezing of water.

Action Lab's invitation to subscribe and be notified of new videos.

Transcripts

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Freezing WaterSupercoolingScience ExperimentLiquid NitrogenMagnetic StirrerAction LabNucleation PointFluid DynamicsTemperature LimitsEducational Content