Einstein’s Magical atom

Sham S. Misri

Add one cup of rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) to one cup of water. Normally it should give us two cups of that combined liquid. Actually, the answer is no, because some of the alcohol molecules find their way into spaces between the water molecules. It is a bit like adding a cup of water to a cup of marbles.

Material required: 

  (i)           Water

 (ii)           Isopropyl alcohol
(iii)          Measuring cup
(iv)          2 pint clear glass container (with fractions of  cups marked on it)

Experiment:

Carefully measure one cup of water and pour it into the 2 pint container. (Your measurements must be accurate for the experiment to work.)

Carefully measure one cup of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) and add it to the water. Again be exact!

Now take a precise reading of the amount of liquid in the container. It should come to less than 2 cups (1 pint)

Precautions:

 Please do not allow the small children to be near the rubbing alcohol. Also make sure that you wear the goggles to protect the eyes from splashes when you pour in the alcohol.

*This experiment almost seems to be a magic trick as we don’t get two exact cups of the liquid.