Hello everybody [img]smile.gif[/img] Just today i had an argument with my chemistry teacher, i argued that it would be possible to make a cylindrical or for that matter "any" shape object composed of liquid oxygen or another liquid gas, the teacher seems to disagree so lets discuss this.
Second matter of discussion is that if it were actually possible to make an object like that which could preserve its shape then can we make something of an "electrode" of it ?

As for the first part there could be 3 solutions, either conduct the experiment in outer space with "zero" gravity but im not very sure about that! Otherwise i have read that gases nearing absoulte zero behave like they are free from gravity in the presence of superconductors. The third option seems to be common with the next part of the solution, somehow force the liquid oxygen to show a force of attraction or some kind of bonding similar to that observed in metals so that they form a "lattice" like structure ? I'm not sure but these are my ideas, any other ideas or help ?
And now the second part, seems a bit more difficult. Again i'm not fully aware of the properties of elements nearing absolute zero nor the complete aftermath of bombarding elements with particles .... but if we had Oxygen in the form of an ion perhaps we could place the ions equidistant from each other to form both a definite structure and have collective charge, and help it preserve its shape by applying external electrostatic forces. Or can we ionize the containment area of oxygen so heavily that it does behave like an "electrode" can we ?
I dont know what to say ....... Thanks in advance [img]smile.gif[/img]

Edit: Oxygen exhibits both magnetic and sticky behaviour while as a liquid [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-07-2003, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: whacky ]

*head explodes*
[img]graemlins/bonghit.gif[/img]
ahhhh that feels better [img]tongue.gif[/img]

no idea, but on the topic of super cold liquids my personal favorite property is superfludity. For those that do not now here is what that means:
-if it is placed in an open container it will rise up the sides and flow over the top.
-if the fluid's container is rotated from stationary, the fluid inside will never move, the viscosity of the liquid is zero, so any part of the liquid or it's container can be moving at any speed without affecting any of the surrounding fluid.
-if a light is shone into a beaker of superfluid and there is an exit at the top the fluid will form a fountain and shoot out of the top exit.

Fascinating... got nothing to add (brain still trying to recover)... but that was fascinating... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Liquids without gravity behave like gasses, they spread apart continuously until they are equally distributed amongst everything. Just ask any Astronaught who'se taken a Zero-G Shower. Its a real refreshing experience [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Using this power to form electricity is similar to hydro-electricity, but it would only be temporary because eventually waters "Sticky" behavior as you described would lead to it standing still and going absolutley nowhere.

I'm not sure that near absolute zero that oxygen is still considered a liquid. I do know that if you could configure it in a lattice that it would not be a liquid. DK is right as well. If it remains in liquid form in a vacuum then it trys to achieve equalibrium which decreaces electrical conductivity.
question: What would you do if you had a spark in your pure oxygen enviroment.

Duck [img]smile.gif[/img]

Wowgosh, interesting topic!

I don't know much about liquid oxygen or supercold liquids, but this has piqued my interest. Science fascinates me, especially the weird and wonderful. I find quantum mechanics very interesting, sometimes lying in bed at night I have a flash of clarity where I almost understand it - then it's gone before I can grasp it! That's what I love about science. Forever pushing at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding.

Liquid oxygen?

Bah! It just propaganda put forward by species who prefer a liquid enviroment.

Surface tension forces all gases and liquids to form a sphere in zero-gee. In order to make liquid oxygen, or any other liquid, into a shape other than a spehere you have to exert an external force upon it. Magnetism wouldn't be sufficient, unless you can form magnetic fields to custom shapes. :D

I´d say you are about to lose that argument with your teacher Waxy. Good to see you again! Haven´t seen you in ages, it feels that way. ;) OF course you could do it if you pressurize the environment. But I don´t think it´s possible to create a pressure difference in the shape of a cylinder. Couldn´t you do it with magnetism perhaps? That would of course imply the use of a magnet in the middle of the cylinder...