Metal sphere filled with water - heated up..?

salami1212

salami1212

salami1212

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Joined
3 Jul 2005
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You have a metal sphere full to the brim with water, You then heat the ball to boiling point. The water expands so what would happen? Will the ball explode? Will the world implode ?
 
[FnG]magnolia;19944306 said:
OP, is there anything - and I mean almost literally anything - that you do understand, if at worst only in conceptual terms?
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Oh give it a rest Magnolia! at least it isn't Kwerk :p

frankly, the phase-states of water are incredibly complex even if you actually have a degree in mechanical engineering.

1FwUu.png


:eek:
 
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[FnG]magnolia;19944329 said:
You appear either more lenient of the OP's posting history than I or have a stronger desire to educate than I.

Either way, you're the better poster here :)
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having just looked at the OPs thread history, it appears that your post was entirely justified.

nonetheless, as a nerd, my desire to impart knowledge is stronger than my desire to chastise (usually anyway!) so i'll leave the creepy image up there.
 
Water phase diagram is not difficult. Simple application of physical limits to molecules.

The sphere would increase in pressure whilst being heated, until the point of failure. Beyond the critical point the water will enter a supercritical fluid form and will be a hybrid of liquid and gas. More extreme pressures can be achieved depending on you vessel and heat source.
 
It is entirely dependent on the thickness of the metal sphere walls and the heat applied. The heat will make the water want to change phase and increase in volume, this will increase the pressure if the sphere is strong enough to hold it then it will otherwise it will fail. The more heat, the more pressure will develop and the stronger the sphere will need to be.

Every conventional powerstation in the World has something called a boiler drum which is a cylindrical vessel with a mix of water and steam in it during operation, I can't remember one ever popping.
 
it wouldnt at 100c thats for sure. Plus you're forgetting the metal shall expand slightly too. It would likely fracture at the point where the pressure force due to the water is equal to the bulk modulus of the metal. So it therefore depends on the metal, too.
 
What would happen if you exploded a nuclear bomb inside a massively thick, but non heat-conducting metal sphere? Thick enough that the bomb couldn't explode it. Like the size of the moon.

When the nucleartivity slowed down would the gasses and everything condense again? or would the pressure and energy be stored inside forever?

I think if you detonated the bomb and then left it for 10 years, it would be like nothing happened because the matter would condense together again.
 
F.A.O. Kwerk

Kwerk, You scare me..


So I made you a sig :eek:

kwerk.jpg


The diagram that aod posted confuses me even more! I would have thought depend on the metal used to make the sphere as to how much pressure it could take.
 
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