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Aunti Bubbles



On Tue, 26 Aug 1997, Ian Russell wrote:

To avoid any possible confusion, I propose that English-speakers everywhere
should now cease to use the word 'bubble' with reference to homogenous
globules of air rapidly rising through a liquid.

Henceforward, the technically correct term for these will be ANTIDROPS.


Why not UNCLEBUBBLES?


As a kid I discovered a phenomena which might make a good museum exhibit.
By laying on my back on the floor and tilting my head back to observe our
aquarium, I received a "unique perspective".

Sorry.

The aquarium appeared as a clear container filled with a couple of inches
of silvery liquid. On either side of it were pipes which spewed more of
this liquid, which broke into glittering droplets and "fell" into the
pool. Some of the droplets formed those skittering globules which roamed
around the surface for a bit.

I'm obviously talking about underwater air, simply viewed upside-down.

If visitors were to observe a simple water tank via an upside-down video
camera, while pushing buttons which activate various air pumps, their
perceptions might suffer a catastrophic shift as did mine so long ago.
Mount some bowls upside-down in the tank, positioned so the air hoses fill
them to overflowing. Mount some kid's sand toys (turbines, hoppers with
chains of paddles, etc.) and let them have fun playing... with "nothing."
Air is not nothing (which is the whole point.) Fish children might enjoy
"air play" as much as human children enjoy water play. But would they
need to be upside-down? Hey, if fish don't have a clear sense of gravity,
might they think that air falls "down" and rocks float to the sandy top of
their world?

Idea for a science show: mount a desk upside-down in a swimming pool. Sit
a fully-clothed person upside-down at a chair behind the desk. Light the
whole thing properly in order to remove any "underwater" cues. The person
takes a pitcher and fills a cup with silvery "liquid". He/she takes a
sip, but it runs down their front as mercury-like globules. Pour out the
cup, and a silver pool runs across the desk. Pick up a bucket full of
silver liquid, take out a rag. The rag is all silvery (it is dry and
coated with talc, or graphite, to make it trap air.) Squeeze out the rag
to remove some of the silver stuff, which spatters and rolls across the
desk. The talent begins speaking, and gobs of silver stuff spew
disgustingly from their mouth and pour across the desk. Can this mess be
mopped up with a graphite-coated dry rag? Quick, take a drink from the
air hose to avoid suffocation. A fish-man out of water needs a water
hose.

Now blow some antibubbles and poke 'em with a toothpick. Ian's method
involves pouring the silver stuff into a container, resulting in
occasional antibubbles floating "up" from the spout. Of course we must
blow some special "smoke" towards the container to achive the effect.
The smoke is liquid soap. Underwater people perceive dye in the same way
that you air-breathers perceive smoke. Hey, we also need to place an
upside-down bottle of milk on the upside-down desk in the above. I think
that milk sinks in water, so it should "smoke" continuously like a fire.

So, tell me NOW, what is a liquid? How is it different from a gas? What
is a liquid BESIDES a liquid/gas interface? And do I ENJOY inducing brain
damage in passersby? You bet!

......................uuuu / oo \ uuuu........,.............................
William Beaty voice:206-781-3320 bbs:206-789-0775 cserv:71241,3623
EE/Programmer/Science exhibit designer http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/
Seattle, WA 98117 billb@eskimo.com SCIENCE HOBBYIST web page