Space
Problem
Needed:
- A small glass
- A larger glass (at least twice
the size)
- A wax marking pencil
- Rubbing Alcohol
Experiment:
Fill the smaller glass full of water twice and pour the
water into the larger glass. Mark carefully on the glass where
the surface is. Empty the big glass. Now fill the smaller glass
once with rubbing alcohol and once with water and pour into large
glass. Be careful each time to fill the smaller glass to the
same degree of fullness. The surface will be below the mark,
showing that the mixture does not occupy as much space as the
water.
Explanation:
The molecules of water and alcohol
are not the same size, and so the smaller molecules can
fit somewhat into the spaces between the larger ones. An
experiment to demonstrate this: pour equal volumes of marbles
and sand into a container, and see how the sand fits into
the spaces between the marbles.
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