Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Thermodynamics of Water

[@StarTalk]

What's one thing you didn't think would float?

[@mikeshivak]

Airplane?

[@Broken-xi5io]

"They all float"

[@caonabo2]

A stone. I have an anecdote: once I had to built some concrete anchoring blocks for a pump installatin in a dam's lake. So, I calculated everything but sill make a mistake, because tge blocks were moving. What hapened? I used the weight per cubic meter on concrete, which is about 4.2 tons, but forgot about Archimides law. The concrete anchors recieved an upwards push equal to the weight of the water it displaced (1 cubic meter). Now, 1 cubic meter of water weight 1 ton, therefore you have to deduce 1 ton off the 4.2 tons of the concrete, leaving the block actually weigting only 3.2 tons submerged in water. Solution? Just added 4 more 1 cubic meter concrete blocks and problem solved.

[@dankerman321]

Diesel fuel... saw 55 gallon drums of diesel fuel for a generator being delivered to a small island in Fiji. They rolled it off the boat... drums floated, pushed to shore and rolled up the beach.

[@caonabo2]

@@dankerman321 diesel is less dense than water, that's why it floats.

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

Chuck's questions and statements have gotten really good.

[@BibboSama]

Nah fr my boy getting better🤣

[@StarTalk]

Aging like fine wine.

[@gabrielmugisha3196]

Chuck needs a hon degree in astrophysics

[@laroycarter2662]

Yes he's getting better I can't tell if he's just not playing dumb as much or if he's actually learning and getting smarter either way he hasn't gotten any funnier

[@kimjohnson4278]

You must have missed the one. He may have gotten smarter but his juvenile attempts at humor are still really lame.

[@mshafer2006]

I love these explainer videos. Learn so much from these. Plus, I love how they are so easily digestible.

[@melindaortiz9741]

Agree

[@StarTalk]

Someone has to make the information accessible!

[@frostice6255]

I learn nothing because of chucks annoying jokes LITERALLY EVERYTIME HE SPEAKS!!! SO FCKNG ANNOYING 🤦‍♂️

[@philipberthiaume2314]

I was a lifeguard for several summers when I was going thru university. One of the most fun things we did was play watermelon polo. The watermelon would keep depth, it would neither float or sink as it was almost all water. Until someone moved it would stay in place, so it was three dimensional as we played in a 3 meter depth pool.

[@1MarkKeller]

Kool!

[@Chickenandrice485]

Can't get enough of you guys! Completely making my day!

[@StarTalk]

These comments make ours :)

[@kirktown2046]

Haha, part of the magic of Star Talk is Chuck still manages to play the foil after so long. This one made me laugh a few times, thanks guys, you're the best!

[@LukeSumIpsePatremTe]

Just learned a new meaning for foil

[@StarTalk]

He's hiding his true power level!

[@stephanienirenberg7426]

My son and I were hysterical during this one and during laughter my son breaks into a shocked noise because of water and its refusal to become ice. Loved this one!

[@mollybell5779]

Oh, these guys. So much genuine laughter. It's good for the soul, and even healing. I am grateful that they post so often. I get to learn while simultaneously having my spirits lifted. What a great combo. Very interesting explainer, this one. I learned a lot, and laughed a lot. Thank you, StarTalk. 😁❤️

[@StarTalk]

Everything you described is why we do it! Glad you're enjoying :)

[@aaronbailey3942]

He should have added, “ when water gets into a ship, it stars to sink because the density starts to equalize”

[@1MarkKeller]

Yep, filling all those airy voids with water.

[@manos8010]

If you have an indestructible container, the water will eventually freezes. But it will become a phase two (or greater) of ice, that has greater dencity than liquid water, so it takes less volume. This will happen at a pressure of 6000 atm. So the correct answer is, the container wins and water increase the pressure until it reaches the 6000 atm mark, then it becomes a deferent type o ice.

[@ΜαρίαΛινάρδου-ζ4λ]

Wow! I had no idea that there are so many differnet types of ice! 😯

[@marios8977]

You are right, I wonder why Neil didn’t mention it!

[@makaveli1216]

Such a great video for me to watch today literally right before delivering a lecture to my Intro Oceanography students on the topic of the Chemistry and Physics of Water. The steel ship, iceberg, and Titanic examples helped a lot!

[@StarTalk]

So glad it was helpful!

[@BePositiveMindset]

Chuck! I asked my dad the same thing. He replied "There's a lot more ocean than boat!".

[@StarTalk]

Your dad's a smart man.

[@Bouzoukos]

Loved this long episode!!! We need more of these!!!

[@nelcar774]

Chuck is a genius! No normal person would have figured that out. 18:34

[@taliachetty5417]

Agree

[@rychron]

This was so good! The part about the indestructible container blew my mind! Love watching you guys, keep up the great vids :)

[@Nitelifebuzz]

6:40 - Neil is partially embarrassed, but still near tears from laughing too hard. This is the good stuff they usually truncate to keep these explainers under 15 mins.

[@ViperOfMino]

Yeah Star Talk, listen to this guy. No such thing as too much of Dr. Tyson and Lord Nice!

[@taliachetty5417]

Always look forward to these videos👌

[@michaelsullivan6854]

These 2 guys together is GOLD, More please !

[@HaiderKhan-nc9gf]

Great video. Loved it and learnt from it. But the heart of the whole matter remained a mystery. Why water starts expanding below 4°C? You told us the effects of that expansion. But not the reason of it. Thanks

[@c.v.v.-mx6989]

I believe it is because of its atomic arrangement. The atoms/molecules in water arrange in such a way that when it freezes there are empty spaces between the atoms. So, no matter how cold it gets, atoms in ice never get as close as they do in other solids; they even stand farther away from each other, which is way we say that it expands.

[@SelfReflective]

Why is red redder than blue? Some questions don't have an answer. Water is just anomalous that way.

[@timothyvenable3336]

I think because God knew what he was doing!

[@Tyler_McK35]

Love these videos. He makes everything so understandable

[@andhowe6093]

It’s so fun watching you guys,I love your explainer videos 😆!

[@isatousarr7044]

The thermodynamics of water play a critical role in Earth's weather patterns and climate systems, influencing everything from ocean currents to extreme weather events like hurricanes and heatwaves. In the cosmos, the presence and behavior of water on other planets are key considerations in astrobiology, as they can indicate the potential for life. The unique properties of water, such as its ability to exist in all three states (solid, liquid, gas) and its role as a solvent, are crucial for biological processes. This raises intriguing questions about the possibility of life on seemingly uninhabitable planets. For instance, could the thermodynamics of water allow life to exist in extreme conditions, such as the icy moons of Jupiter or the arid surfaces of distant exoplanets? As we explore the cosmos and search for signs of biological life, how might our understanding of water’s thermodynamic properties help us uncover new possibilities for life beyond Earth?

[@gsav1320]

This show is the best on the internet no doubt. Come for the information stay for the two great personalities and jokes

[@nimrodlevy]

Loved this longer explainer!

[@AJD...]

For anyone wondering WHY ice is less dense than liquid water: Water molecules have 2 hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom. When there are multiple water molecules floating around, the hydrogen atoms make what we call hydrogen bonds with oxygens of other molecules. Think of these bonds as an extra pair of rope ties. When you lower the temperature down, these rope ties straighten up and get longer than they were. This decreases the overall density of the substance. Interestingly enough, this property also makes water a universal solvent. A property which in and of itself - supports life.

[@xtm123]

Neil and Chuck, the dynamic duo. You guys have a great chemistry!

[@gitanod3045]

Neil, I was waiting and hoping you would get to submarines when explaining the idea of less dense/more dense. It would have been a great idea to show the less dense/more dense concept

[@bertdrake]

I wake up to these videos. Science and comedy in one always start my day off the right way.

[@environmentalcanadian2338]

I love Star Talk ... even when it's about ice. :) Cheers, Calvin.

[@andythrush3341]

Love you, Chuck! You are invaluable to the program. Nice program Gents.

[@apa182]

I can't get enough of these explainers.... I keep learning and laughing throughout each episode. Thank you so much!

[@RDEnduro]

This show is legendary 🙌 my phone wanted me to put these hands instead of the word legendary lol

[@MisterIncog]

I thought Neil would mention it but whatever. I don’t know it very well, but like watermolecules need some structure to catch on before turning into ice. Regular water have other molecules than water, like minerals and ions and stuff, so it catches to that. But distilled water doesn’t, so if you put in a bottle and lower the temperature to a freezing point and below it won’t freeze. But once you smack the bottle it goes wooosh and freezes. There are cool videos of how it look on the net, action lab has one, look it up.

[@infinatep1mp737]

Here's a question. As water gets colder you need more and more pressure to keep it liquid. Is there a force/temperature limit it will not pass and will remain liquid? Or is this a Infinate problem? Colder=more pressure needed to keep it liquid?

[@habi0187]

We'll all this thought experiments definitely end at 0 Kelvin nothing gets colder since the molecules stop moving.

[@videosofeverything3876]

That was good stuff about water density. I learned something new and interesting after a very long time.

[@nelcar774]

If you put soda in the freezer long enough to cool a little below 0 celsius and you open it, it freezes instantly. It stays liquid because of the pressure of CO2. 20:15

[@SIMxv]

I love this show so much!

[@Joncoxjohnxdxnl]

Neil and Chuck make science so much fun, learning something with a good laugh thank you! 😅✌

[@Yaroslav_Tselovanskyi]

This is the best formaat of videos on this channel, DON'T CHANGE A THING!

[@SteveC38]

Nice Job, Fellas!

[@thetechconsultant]

I’m glad he asked that question because I was definitely thinking it lol

[@Mbartel500]

A solid steel needle can “float” on water due to surface tension, not due to the density of steel or water.

[@rolirolster]

Incorrect, the very fact that something is held by surface tension, means it is less dense than the water it's sitting on, so much so, that it doesn't break the tension.

[@ASJC27]

@@rolirolster I think you need to brush up on what density is, because you are the one who's incorrect. Steel needle. Density of steel: ~8 gr/cc. Density of water: ~1 gr/cc. 8 > 1, hence a steel needle should sink, and it will if you let go of it below the water surface. But if you place it on the surface, it's small enough that the added force of surface tension will hold it up.

[@Mbartel500]

@@rolirolster sorry, but you are incorrect. If you put a thin needle into the water point first, it will sink. If you lay it on the water, on it's side, it will stay on top due to the surface tension. A solid steel needle is more dense that the equivalent volume of water, yet it floats on top, if you put it on the surface to take advantage of the surface tension. You should research a fact, before telling someone they are wrong when they quote that fact.

[@FusionDeveloper]

You are right Mike Bartel. I just have to make this joke from Monty Python. B: What also floats in water? Villager: Bread! Another Villager: Apples! Another Villager: Uh...very small rocks! Another Villager: Cider! Another Villager: Uh...great gravy! Another Villager: Cherries! Another Villager: Mud! Another Villager: Churches! Churches! Another Villager: Lead! Lead! King Arthur: A Duck! Villagers: (in amazement) ooooooh!

[@rolirolster]

@@ASJC27 See my reply to @Mike Bartel

[@Nobleking97]

Who else loves it when Star Talk appears on the top of your FYP

[@maryrochon9083]

Oh you two are so great! I have been watching for so many years. My favorite shows are the Neil n Chuck shows HANDS DOWN! 💛🧡❤💜

[@nickdane1347]

Would love an episode about discovering longitude and the evolution of a clocks

[@HFSL81]

Superb explainer sir. Love watching your videos. Hilary from Sri Lanka

[@Nipplator99999999999]

Chuck Nice had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for him to show the intelligence he hides for comedic effect. I literally just cheered for him making Neil show that amount of proud astonishment.

[@oksyar]

I love Neil... I've studied water from so many sources but after this video i truly understood why sometimes when i take coke out of freezer, it seems liquid but as i open it, it instantly starts to freeze up that's because coke needed more room to freeze which the tight bottle wasn't letting it and as soon as it gets more space, it freezes up.

[@roichir7699]

It is called supercooling.

[@averageaf4321]

I love it when Chuck figures out what Neil is going towards, just a few words before Neil says it!

[@lolanelson9634]

This was mega fascinating! I can’t wait to be a know it all, and share this info!

[@rf7946]

Neils presence always makes me instantly happy.

[@jamesmountz2915]

I cant help wondering why neil did he not explain displacement the way ive always heard it explained. It makes it so much easier to understand. If the amount of water being displaced by the object weighs more than the object than the object will float. Then people can visualize all the water a steel boat displaces and quickly understand how that much water is a lot heavier than the steel ship because like neil said the inside is hollow.

[@sarcastitva]

I think the density explanation is complete in itself. Saying that ship as a whole has low density than the water (due to the air present in the hollow chambers) is pretty simple to understand. Explaining water displacement (Archimedes' principle) would require shedding some light on gravity also. Simply visualizing how water is being displaced might not help in all cases (e.g. a needle vs. a toothpick, where density plays a major role).

[@Games_and_Music]

When he was leading up to that, i was saying to myself "because of displacement", but he didn't say it, nor did he mention volume. He almost went there when he mentioned the ice cube 10% thing, but he still didn't name it directly. Same for the ending about the styrofoam canoe tips, i thought now he was going to introduce displacement, as i thought it would be easy to understand, styrofoam has air bubbles trapped inside it, thus preventing the displacement, because loose air would simply be pushed out by the incoming water and make the canoe itself denser than water and sink it. Then again, Neil is more of a generalist, he doesn't really do deep dives into many topics, but knows enough to tell something about it. Not that displacement is some obscure advanced concept, but he might've forgotten about it at that moment, or purposely avoided the 'traditional' explanation.

[@Games_and_Music]

@@sarcastitva It wouldn't have taken much to add it to the explanation though. He was getting close with the canoe as well, because if you flip the canoe quickly, it'll float, because it kept the air inside. But if you tip it, or capsize it long enough to fill up with water, it will sink, which is how the water displaces the air, the more water it takes, the more air gets pushed out, the heavier it gets. Most people are familiar with that concept without having thought about the theory. Then he could've mentioned the styrofoam having air trapped inside it, preventing the displacement. Sorry for posting this part of the post again, but it felt incomplete if i didn't repeat what i said in the other post.

[@Padcast]

That's why your in the comments.

[@kittiruffle4488]

Would you guys be willing to do these live? It would be so awesome to be able to ask questions and comment live. Please!!!

[@guilberematos]

Outstanding lesson!

[@cherylnicowski3006]

You guys are so funny I could listen to y'all day I,m still laughing while I learn !!!

[@ReVision..]

Great episode! Thanks Neil and Chuck!

[@TJ-hs1qm]

Hey Dr. Tyson. Could you please give us a heads up of the current state in nuclear energy science and the controversy surrounding it? 🙏

[@rolirolster]

Didn't you see the first fusion reaction the other day?

[@milosstojanovic4623]

@@rolirolster it's not 'the first' but the new one. They are exploring new methods for colliding particles to see how efficient it would be. We are still long way from efficient fusion.

[@rolirolster]

@@milosstojanovic4623 Definitely, but it's a good start! 😁

[@hukeaz]

Thank you guys! I have such an affinity for water! This was very interesting and informative. Aloha!

[@StarTalk]

Water is essential!

[@aoi7910]

I've had a similar question like that around 17:20 for years now. If you put water in a sealed indestructible container and fill it completely and you heat it, what happens to the water?

[@roichir7699]

It will stay liquid and build up pressure. If you release it you have superheated steam. Quite dangerous. The same mechanism at at work.

[@aoi7910]

@@roichir7699 Thank you 😁

[@hussainyasmin]

Love the explainer!! Mind blowing facts! Thank you Startalk! Does the water at the bottom of the lake always stays at 4 degrees then in case of a big lake?

[@dannylgonzal]

I loved the water 201 bit. I was just about to ask this.

[@oldcowbb]

19:06 i'm pretty sure it will only decrease the freezing temperature to a certain degree, not indefinitely, it's call an isochoric process

[@Chemy.]

I would like an explainer for the electromagnetism of the water, i mean, everything related to radiation, radio signals and so on

[@jeremysmith5183]

I saw the screen title "Aquatic Winters" and was very intrigued as to why you would be discussing The Poseidon Adventure, brilliant film though it is, but now I understand ...

[@tonyg8129]

I love you two guys! Very amusing podcasts to listen to. I used to hate Neil because I was a great fan of Stargate Atlantis and the episode where Neil had a cameo he belittled my favorite character, Dr. Rodney McKay. I’m over that now. You two are hysterical. 😅

[@michaelflores451]

Wow. This episode was pretty damn cool.

[@shepshape2585]

As fascinating as this is to most people, the fact that frozen water (ice) protects the underlying water from freezing is nothing new to strawberry farmers here in Florida. Every winter when/if the temps are going to fall below freezing, they'll spray their fields with water so that a thin layer of ice forms on the berries and that will protect them from dying overnight.

[@CmonBird]

Neil is absolutely right, this 4 degree most dense phenomenon is astonishing, this is one of the most mesmerizing fact you can learn in your whole life, if you ask me. Because when I first introduced to this fact back in high school, I was like "wooow magic, water does not behave like any other substance, this makes life possible in ocean, therefore possible for anywhere on earth". And religious people was like "look at God's engineering, if water did not behave like this, life wouldn't be possible, this is God's work". Really dude!! You think the allmighty God has to find a way around the laws he created in the first place, okay then you can go back to hunting and gathering. :) This is mixing up the cause and effect, and their order in time, this is not a suitable way to explain the things around you, this is not scientific methodology of thinking. And we are where we are thanks to the scientists who do not mix up the order. Thanks Neil for this neat school he got in here, and thanks Chuck for making it fun, unlike in high school.

[@Mbartel500]

Absolute,y pure water freezes at -55 degrees F . It is the impurities that causes it to freeze at 32 degrees F.

[@marcusanderson8180]

i'm cruisin', learnin', get to 6:30 -- you guys are nuts! lol seriously, you guys are an asset to the scientific community.

[@ariannanorris-landry4428]

Thanks for the amazing explanations and the FUNNIEST just when needed.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Ok you two, here is a question for you-When I put an ice cube in my scotch whisky, does it still float 10% above the surface or does it float lower because the water is thinned by the alcohol? Thank you and I'll finish my drink now. Great video by the way.

[@bogumilwieczorek]

the simple fact that Ice have lower density than water have the biggest impact on evolution and live on earth than enything else. I love your shows, keep them on this level and some day we will have them on TV :)

[@pjg6019]

You guys are amazing. I was laughing out loud while learning. Thanks

[@etrus0645]

great vid but there is so much more to explain about the phase shift of water to ice. I would have liked to know what molecular forces align water into a crystal. if a block of ice can be made without cloudiness and ground into a mirror and if the outer layer of a block of ice has a variable snowflake pattern.

[@kimmckenna7557]

I just watched the broham one its so true..I actually unless the title boggles my mind..I honestly won't watch unless it Doctor Neil and like no other comedian Mr Chuck. You guys are the peanut butter..love it.

[@1MarkKeller]

This show is edutainment at it's finest!

[@kennyhoward9113]

I love all the content. Your explanations of global warming and the way you guys put it into a language I can visualize has made me understand reality. Thanks for helping me be curious

[@ngnatural]

You guys went IN! I love it

[@TheLowstef]

The problem for metal ships was not that noone had thought about it. Ever since Aristotle we've known we could make a ship out of metal in principle. Problem was we just couldn't make a large metal object strong enough. When metallurgy improved (for the needs of guns, somewhat ironically) it made iron (and later steel) ships possible

[@FernandoRodriguez-pj5uh]

Thinking the same thing. The physics was known but the engineering was still missing.

[@dwaynep6174]

Recently learned about Hydrogen Bonding in chemistry which is the culprit for water being so weird. Loved this

[@Xiph0s55]

Chuck that haircut is SUPPPPPPER fresh

[@scottakam]

Good stuff. There are several species of trees with higher density than water that do not float. Teak for example.

[@CarryTruck]

There is an other explainer about why ice floats, nonetheless always love the explainers!

[@BogdanTomin]

I love your explainers! :) Btw it seems to me that you literally had the explainer called "Why ice floats" 😁

[@jesse2535]

I'm 5:20 through the video, and I want to comment in order to see if I'm right in the end. From my knowledge everything that floats on a liquid does so because the weight of the liquid it's sunk part displaces, will push on to it and if that push force is stronger than gravity on the object it'll flow. For water it means if the water that is pushed away by the floating object needs to weight less than the object for it to float. When u half sink yet still float, u do so, because the water that was once where u now is being pushed by the rest of the water to go back to it's place and the pool ur in to flatten out, that force is greater than the gravity that is pulling u down, so u float. Let's see how right I am...

[@doporto8100]

Sweet, just in time. Got something 2 listen 2 on the way 2 work!

[@Bigbillyrayfan]

Where does ice get the energy to break things? Polar molecule thing?

[@craigtaylor4613]

Not just density, because as chuck says metal is more dense, but Archimedes principal comes into play, as the shape of the hull weights less that the water it displaces

[@MikeG-nz8gt]

This is a rerelease of part of an older video. I still enjoyed it though. Great content.

[@sonkamehameha1572]

Chuck you are the peoples champ. Neil you are the best teacher in the world!! I love these random science drop. Even though I knew some about a topic you help us understand that there is more to it. NEVER STOP LEARNING🤘🔥🤘

[@jonathanskurtu7384]

It depends on what type of water you have, some water will freeze if hot enough and boil when cold enough, and some water freezes after boiling when getting hot and whatever else (the process of getting hotter); and some will freeze first then boil when through the process of colder. 🥶🥵 It depends on the type of water that you have.

[@daviddawson1718]

Most wood floats, but not all. There are outliers. That said good explanation, and thanks for teaching me things that I either didn't know or had forgotten since college.

[@musicismagical251]

This was interesting and informative. On another note, what ever happened to Suzy Q's? I never see them in stores around here. Bring back the Suzy Q's. We need a Cosmic Queries video about that, LOL.

[@jeannieortiz3604]

You guys are so funny .... I am always laughing in tears while getting my science learning on .... : )

[@alexisrivera200xable]

Simple, as water gets colder and changes to ice it expands. The act of expanding causes it to be less dense by volume so it will float.

[@KevinGoehler]

But WHY does the density increase below 4°C? What's the mechanism?

[@DrSef]

IIRC it is because hydrogen bonds form a crystal lattice and that structure causes water to expand and be less dense as it freezes. I can't believe they didn't cover that!

[@resonant_theories]

as an Astrophysicist you will love Saturn's inner core composition.. it is great.. i think it is water! But the type/form must be amazing.. vast force!

[@resonant_theories]

this makes one wonder about our own planet's "inner water"

[@habi0187]

I missed the explanation for this odd behaviour of water which is related to that fact that water is a dipol and in ice the molecules are sorted in a special way so that a positive pole always is surrounded by negative and vice versa and this structure needs more space than a liquid with slow moving molecules.

[@aaronbailey3942]

I am going to subscribe to paetron for the Kal El joke alone, you guys have redeemed yourselves, funniest joke since trapped plastic!