Comments on: 1 cup and 1 cup does not make two cups – Experiment with solutions http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/ Science Experiments for Kids, Parents and Teachers Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:24:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dana Fitzpatrick http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/comment-page-1/#comment-232 Dana Fitzpatrick Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:18:38 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/#comment-232 How about using alcohol and water? That would eliminate granularity from the equation, while still producing a reduction phenomenon. How about using alcohol and water? That would eliminate granularity from the equation, while still producing a reduction phenomenon.

]]> By: Javin http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/comment-page-1/#comment-221 Javin Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:13:27 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/#comment-221 I have to agree with Peter on this one. I think what you're actually seeing here is how much "air space" is between the individual sugar granules. The explanation tries to make it a bit more complex than it actually is. If you were to do this same experiment with grains of sand that were a similar size as the grains of sugar, the results would be nearly identical. The sand would not break down at the molecular level, or even "melt." It's the volume of air being displaced as the sugar becomes a solution that makes the difference, not any physical changes in the composition at a molecular level. A more telling experiment would be to take 1 cup of regular granulated sugar (570-635 microns) and one cup of similarly sized glass beads. Add a cup of water to each, and see the results. My belief is that they would be similar, with a slight variation wherein the sugar levels would be slightly lower than the glass bead levels. Not because of the solution created, but because the shape of sugar grains are odd, not allowing for a packing as dense as the perfectly round glass beads. I have to agree with Peter on this one. I think what you’re actually seeing here is how much “air space” is between the individual sugar granules. The explanation tries to make it a bit more complex than it actually is.

If you were to do this same experiment with grains of sand that were a similar size as the grains of sugar, the results would be nearly identical. The sand would not break down at the molecular level, or even “melt.”

It’s the volume of air being displaced as the sugar becomes a solution that makes the difference, not any physical changes in the composition at a molecular level.

A more telling experiment would be to take 1 cup of regular granulated sugar (570-635 microns) and one cup of similarly sized glass beads. Add a cup of water to each, and see the results. My belief is that they would be similar, with a slight variation wherein the sugar levels would be slightly lower than the glass bead levels. Not because of the solution created, but because the shape of sugar grains are odd, not allowing for a packing as dense as the perfectly round glass beads.

]]> By: Andy Kaiser http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Andy Kaiser Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:46:18 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/#comment-69 Hi Peter, Thanks for the more detailed explantion, and for taking the time to write. It's effort like this that will improve the articles for all future readers. Hi Peter,

Thanks for the more detailed explantion, and for taking the time to write. It’s effort like this that will improve the articles for all future readers.

]]> By: Peter iNova http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Peter iNova Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:40:51 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/04/27/1-cup-and-1-cup-does-not-make-two-cups-experiment-with-solutions/#comment-68 Granulated sugar into fluid. Of course it won't raise the level of the fluid by the physical height of the granulations. Think about how steel balls would fare. A significant volume of the granulated material is empty space. The notion of the dissolved sugar's requiring less volume is vanishingly small in comparison to the lessening of volume by simply filling in the empty spaces between granules. You can pour water into the 1 cup of sugar granules and lower the volume of the container similarly. I find the explanation here inadequate. Granulated sugar into fluid. Of course it won’t raise the level of the fluid by the physical height of the granulations. Think about how steel balls would fare. A significant volume of the granulated material is empty space. The notion of the dissolved sugar’s requiring less volume is vanishingly small in comparison to the lessening of volume by simply filling in the empty spaces between granules.

You can pour water into the 1 cup of sugar granules and lower the volume of the container similarly.

I find the explanation here inadequate.

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