Chapter 12, Problem 12.116QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The following phenomenon has to be explained –

“A chemistry instructor performed the following mystery demonstration.  Just before the students arrived in class, she heated some water to boiling in an Erlenmeyer flask.  She then removed the flask from the flame and closed the flask with a rubber stopper.  After the class commenced, she held the flask in front of the students and announced that she could make the water boil simply by rubbing an ice cube on the outside walls of the flask.  To the amazement of everyone, it worked.”