Hi everyone. Welcome back to Cody's lab. So here in Utah last night, we had a nice little snowstorm.
Hi everyone. Welcome back to Cody's lab. So here in Utah last night, we had a nice little snowstorm.

And I was thinking,
And I was thinking,

I want to see what happens when I put snow in a vacuum chamber. Let's...
I want to see what happens when I put snow in a vacuum chamber. Let's...

Grab a little bit off my truck here.
Grab a little bit off my truck here.

Let's go throw it in and see what happens. So here's my vacuum chamber
Let's go throw it in and see what happens. So here's my vacuum chamber

You can see the tray of desiccant in the back there. I'm just gonna set the snow,
You can see the tray of desiccant in the back there. I'm just gonna set the snow,

onto some cardboard, just like that.
onto some cardboard, just like that.

All right. And now...
All right. And now...

Let's suck out the air.
Let's suck out the air.

All right, so it's been a few minutes the pump has quieted down.
All right, so it's been a few minutes the pump has quieted down.

When you look at the snow here, doesn't look like it's changed a whole lot
When you look at the snow here, doesn't look like it's changed a whole lot

Or, at all.
Or, at all.

You can still see the flakes there.
You can still see the flakes there.

I might get the macro lens, here in a little while and see if I can
I might get the macro lens, here in a little while and see if I can

see that a little bit better. You'll notice that the cardboard is not wet.
see that a little bit better. You'll notice that the cardboard is not wet.

Like it's been long enough, the room's warm enough that the
Like it's been long enough, the room's warm enough that the

snow should have melted a little.
snow should have melted a little.

And yet...
And yet...

You see no liquid soaking into the cardboard.
You see no liquid soaking into the cardboard.

That actually makes a lot of sense, because the pressure in there is too low
That actually makes a lot of sense, because the pressure in there is too low

for liquid water to form. In fact, if the snow melts it should go directly from a
for liquid water to form. In fact, if the snow melts it should go directly from a

solid to a gas, or sublimate. Much like dry ice. In fact, I suppose this would be dry ice.
solid to a gas, or sublimate. Much like dry ice. In fact, I suppose this would be dry ice.

Just not frozen CO2.
Just not frozen CO2.

I'll tell you what, I'm gonna switch out the lenses and get a nice close-up shot. Then I'm gonna get
I'll tell you what, I'm gonna switch out the lenses and get a nice close-up shot. Then I'm gonna get

a heat lamp
a heat lamp

and put it up against the glass here, and see if we can cause that snow to melt. Or at least sublimate faster.
and put it up against the glass here, and see if we can cause that snow to melt. Or at least sublimate faster.

Okay, so...
Okay, so...

It's probably about as good as I can do. You can see the snowflakes a little bit. They're all kind of jumbled.
It's probably about as good as I can do. You can see the snowflakes a little bit. They're all kind of jumbled.

That's what happens to snow when it piles up.
That's what happens to snow when it piles up.

And you can see like little needles of ice crystals in there.
And you can see like little needles of ice crystals in there.

Alright. So,
Alright. So,

the image is a little dark because I had to turn down the aperture size.
the image is a little dark because I had to turn down the aperture size.

That's not going to be a problem here in a second when I turn on the heating lamp.
That's not going to be a problem here in a second when I turn on the heating lamp.

Ah yes, that is substantially brighter. I think I actually saw a flake move over there.
Ah yes, that is substantially brighter. I think I actually saw a flake move over there.

Let's pull the camera back just slightly, and go back to where we were. Just focus it a little bit.
Let's pull the camera back just slightly, and go back to where we were. Just focus it a little bit.

There we go. So most of the energy from this lamp will be stopped by the glass,
There we go. So most of the energy from this lamp will be stopped by the glass,

but some of it should be absorbed under the cardboard. I think, yes!
but some of it should be absorbed under the cardboard. I think, yes!

We are melting the snow.
We are melting the snow.

Let's watch this for a little while.
Let's watch this for a little while.

Let me move the lamp a little closer.
Let me move the lamp a little closer.

There we go.
There we go.

So yeah, the infrared light is blocked by the glass,
So yeah, the infrared light is blocked by the glass,

but the visible light can get through and warm up the cardboard.
but the visible light can get through and warm up the cardboard.

And of course the infrared light will be re-radiated by the glass once it warms up enough.
And of course the infrared light will be re-radiated by the glass once it warms up enough.

Look at that, you're watching snow melt in a vacuum chamber.
Look at that, you're watching snow melt in a vacuum chamber.

(Cody chuckle)
(Cody chuckle)

And you'll notice, there's no liquid being formed.
And you'll notice, there's no liquid being formed.

It's just kind of, disappearing. It's turning into a gas and totally being absorbed into my
It's just kind of, disappearing. It's turning into a gas and totally being absorbed into my

desiccant, or winding up in the vacuum pump oil.
desiccant, or winding up in the vacuum pump oil.

Let me just record for a little while, and then I'll speed up the video in post.
Let me just record for a little while, and then I'll speed up the video in post.

Alright well, that piece of snow at least is gone. And, you'll notice it reacted very similarly to frozen CO2.
Alright well, that piece of snow at least is gone. And, you'll notice it reacted very similarly to frozen CO2.

Co2 of course does this at that atmospheric pressure.
Co2 of course does this at that atmospheric pressure.

Versus, the snow I had to bring down to around four Torr before it'd even start to do that.
Versus, the snow I had to bring down to around four Torr before it'd even start to do that.

I'm having a lot of trouble keeping the camera in focus. I think it's because of this glass.
I'm having a lot of trouble keeping the camera in focus. I think it's because of this glass.

It's really distorting the image. Oh well...
It's really distorting the image. Oh well...

I think you guys have gotten the point. There is something else I want to try though. So, let's actually shut this down.
I think you guys have gotten the point. There is something else I want to try though. So, let's actually shut this down.

Let the air back in. Now, first of all you'll be able to see the snow melting under atmospheric pressure.
Let the air back in. Now, first of all you'll be able to see the snow melting under atmospheric pressure.

And then I want to try putting a thermometer in the snow to see what temperature it actually gets to.
And then I want to try putting a thermometer in the snow to see what temperature it actually gets to.

All right, pressure is back on. Wow, you can already see there's liquid water in there.
All right, pressure is back on. Wow, you can already see there's liquid water in there.

Look at how much differently it melts. This is exactly how you'd expect snow to melt.
Look at how much differently it melts. This is exactly how you'd expect snow to melt.

All right, let's get this switched out for a
All right, let's get this switched out for a

cup with some snow and the thermometer.
cup with some snow and the thermometer.

So I filled up an insulated flask with some snow,
So I filled up an insulated flask with some snow,

and here's my thermometer. I'm just gonna use my
and here's my thermometer. I'm just gonna use my

homemade
homemade

thermometer that uses a multimeter and a coil of copper wire here.
thermometer that uses a multimeter and a coil of copper wire here.

So, this is measuring the resistance of the coil displayed here in ohms or
So, this is measuring the resistance of the coil displayed here in ohms or

degrees Cody. As some people have said. When I stick it in the snow,
degrees Cody. As some people have said. When I stick it in the snow,

I should see a bit of a temperature drop as it goes down to the,
I should see a bit of a temperature drop as it goes down to the,

freezing point of water.
freezing point of water.

Let me pack all these wires in here, so I can close the door. I wouldn't worry about the multimeter too much.
Let me pack all these wires in here, so I can close the door. I wouldn't worry about the multimeter too much.

There's really nothing in there that would be affected by the vacuum except for the battery,
There's really nothing in there that would be affected by the vacuum except for the battery,

and I've actually dipped that in some acrylic resin. So...
and I've actually dipped that in some acrylic resin. So...

Uh oh, I did something...
Uh oh, I did something...

Okay, there we go.
Okay, there we go.

Was it 100 or 110? If you want to go look at the video,
Was it 100 or 110? If you want to go look at the video,

I'll leave the link in the description of me building this. So...
I'll leave the link in the description of me building this. So...

Temperature is dropping not by a whole lot.
Temperature is dropping not by a whole lot.

I mean it isn't very warm in here, so... Anyway. Let's close this up, and turn on the vacuum.
I mean it isn't very warm in here, so... Anyway. Let's close this up, and turn on the vacuum.

We'll see what the temperature gets to.
We'll see what the temperature gets to.

All right, so it's been, about
All right, so it's been, about

40 minutes.
40 minutes.

We've got down to eighty five point two ohms.
We've got down to eighty five point two ohms.

I think that corresponds to negative fifteen degrees Fahrenheit or negative twenty-six degrees
I think that corresponds to negative fifteen degrees Fahrenheit or negative twenty-six degrees

Celsius. So,
Celsius. So,

yeah. That did get very cold. Theoretically if I had a perfect vacuum the water would sublimate all the way down to a temperature of
yeah. That did get very cold. Theoretically if I had a perfect vacuum the water would sublimate all the way down to a temperature of

negative
negative

seventy three degrees Celsius or
seventy three degrees Celsius or

negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Honestly, this is not a perfect vacuum. In fact! I think you could actually
Honestly, this is not a perfect vacuum. In fact! I think you could actually

measure
measure

the level of vacuum that I have, based off of the temperature that the snow got to.
the level of vacuum that I have, based off of the temperature that the snow got to.

So I just repressurized the chamber. Let me stick my finger down in there. (Cody evil scientist laugh) That feels very cold.
So I just repressurized the chamber. Let me stick my finger down in there. (Cody evil scientist laugh) That feels very cold.

Yeah, it's
Yeah, it's

just normal snow. I didn't really change it any.
just normal snow. I didn't really change it any.

See the temperature slowly coming back up. Oops, I just shorted something out. Oh, well.
See the temperature slowly coming back up. Oops, I just shorted something out. Oh, well.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed. I'll see you next time.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed. I'll see you next time.

(Incantation) incendio!
(Incantation) incendio!

(Incantation) incendio!
(Incantation) incendio!

(Sound of a wand swiping through the air quickly)
(Sound of a wand swiping through the air quickly)

(Sound of a wand swiping through the air quickly)
(Sound of a wand swiping through the air quickly)

(Sound repeats rapidly)
(Sound repeats rapidly)