======Boiling Water at Room Temperature======


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**Alternative titles:** Boyle-ing Water
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Fill a clear plastic syringe about one-quarter full with tap water, minimizing the amount of trapped air.
  - Place a finger firmly over the syringe tip to seal it.
  - Pull the plunger back to increase the volume inside. Notice that bubbles appear, and with enough pull, the water boils even though it is at room temperature.
  - Release the plunger to let it snap back in, creating nucleation sites for easier boiling in later attempts.
  - Repeat pulling back the plunger. Observe that boiling happens more readily once bubbles have already formed.
  - Optional: Try with carbonated water and compare how carbon dioxide bubbles form quickly under reduced pressure.




====Links==== 
Boiling in a Syringe - FlinnScientific: 
{{youtube>I5mkf066p-U?}}\\


📄 Boyle-ing Water - Exploratorium: [[https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/boyle-ing-water]]\\



====Variations====
  * Heat the water slightly, but use a safe temperature to touch.
  * Use a vacuum pump instead of a syringe to reduce pressure more dramatically.
  * Try the experiment with different liquids and compare their boiling responses.
  * Demonstrate the concept of the triple point by discussing conditions where water can freeze and boil simultaneously.
  * Compare plain tap water with distilled water to observe differences in bubble formation.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Ensure the syringe is plastic, not glass, to prevent breakage under force.
  * Do not pull the plunger out completely, as water may spill.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does reducing pressure cause water to boil at room temperature? (Because boiling occurs when vapor pressure equals surrounding pressure, and lowering external pressure makes this easier.)
  * Why are bubbles more likely to form after snapping the plunger back once? (Because seed bubbles act as nucleation sites.)
  * How does this demonstration relate to Boyle’s Law? (Increasing volume decreases pressure, following the inverse relationship.)
  * Where in everyday life might you encounter water boiling at low temperatures? (High-altitude cooking, vacuum distillation, or conditions on Mars.)