Inflating objects by evaporating urine

[AntonyJ]

Hi there,

Im conducting an experiment in which i am boiling a pot of urine that is covered with a plastic sheet.

As the water evaporates from the urine the steam causes the plastic sheet to inflate creating a domed shape.

The steam then condenses on the domed plastic sheet and drips down to the edges of the pot, collecting in a separate recepticle.

I am wondering for a given amount of water/urine, say 100ml, how much does the amount of air within the pot increase as it evaporates.

Thanks for any help.

Antony.

 

[mrspeedybob]

What do you mean by "air"?

 

[Drakkith]

During the boiling process you constantly have evaporation and condensation, so there is no simple answer. The faster you boil it the more steam will exist at one time inside the container.

 

[AntonyJ]

Hi, thanks for the reply, I've attached a picture which hopefully makes the experiment i was talking about a bit clearer.

The urine only fills a few millimeters of the pot. A container is then placed in the centre of the pot and the pot is covered with cling film. The pot is heated, water evaporates and condenses on the cling film and drips down into the central container.

The more the pot is heated, the more the cling film inflates due to the increased temperature of the air trapped inside of the pot at the start, and the steam that results from the heating. I was wondering if this rate of expansion is measurable.

 

[pmacias]

Dear Antony,

Thank you for sharing your experiment with me. It is certainly an interesting concept to inflate objects using evaporated urine. Your setup seems well thought out and it is clear that you are curious about the amount of air that is produced during this process.

In order to accurately determine the amount of air produced, it would be important to control for variables such as the temperature of the urine, the size and shape of the pot, and the duration of the experiment. These factors can affect the rate of evaporation and therefore the amount of air produced. Additionally, it would be helpful to measure the volume of the inflated plastic sheet and compare it to the initial volume of the pot to determine the increase in air volume.

Furthermore, it may be beneficial to also consider the composition of urine and how it may impact the production of air. Urine is primarily made up of water, but it also contains various salts and minerals which may affect the rate of evaporation and therefore the amount of air produced.

Overall, your experiment is an interesting and unique approach to inflating objects. I would suggest conducting further research and experiments to accurately determine the amount of air produced during this process. Good luck with your experiment!

Best,