🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1h5o4nINNo2h@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, mag6@po.CWRU.Edu (Martin A. Gulaian) writes:
=I assume that the pressure in the capped beer bottle depresses the
=freezing point of beer the same way that the freezing point of water drops
=with increased pressure.

That's probably part of it.

=When the bottle is uncapped, pressure returns to
=normal, the beer finds itself supercooled, and freezes in a hurry, starting
=at some tiny bubble maybe.


=My question for the net:
=
=Why does the WHOLE beer freeze solid? If the beer is only, say, 20 deg F
=below freezing, how can it absorb all the heat from the freezing ice? To
=rephrase, a beer-sized block of ice would drop a beer-sized glass
=of water a lot more than 20 deg F before melting. Shouldn't the inverse
=apply here? 

Well, when CO2 expands, it absorbs heat.  This is the basic principle used for
refrigeration systems:  Expanding a gas requires work.  The energy required to
expand the gas comes from its surroundings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.