Compressing Water: Can It Be Done?

[Falgata]

Okey I know that this title is somewhat misleading.

Here we go

Me and a friend started to discuss what would happen if someone took one unit of water and turn it into a gas and then rapidly compressed the gas before then cooling it down to room temperature.

I know that one can not compress water, but by doing this would it be possible to compress the gases and then allow it at a time off ones own choising uncompress the gas and let it go into a liquid state.

 

[DrClaude]

Me and a friend started to discuss what would happen if someone took one unit of water and turn it into a gas and then rapidly compressed the gas before then cooling it down to room temperature.

I know that one can not compress water, but by doing this would it be possible to compress the gases and then allow it at a time off ones own choising uncompress the gas and let it go into a liquid state.

If I understand correctly what you mean, you are wondering if you can transform liquid water into a gas, compress the gas into a volume less than that of the liquid water, and then let the gas condense into a liquid again, effectively resulting in a compressed liquid? Short answer: no! The boiling point varies with pressure. If you try to compress the gas too much (at constant temperature), it will transform into a liquid (or even into a solid, depending on the conditions).

 

[klimatos]

Okey I know that this title is somewhat misleading.

Here we go

Me and a friend started to discuss what would happen if someone took one unit of water and turn it into a gas and then rapidly compressed the gas before then cooling it down to room temperature.

I know that one can not compress water, but by doing this would it be possible to compress the gases and then allow it at a time off ones own choising uncompress the gas and let it go into a liquid state.

Your argument is not clear, but I think I follow it up to the last part of the last sentence. There, you lose me completely. Water vapor will not "go into a liquid state" on its own. It must be either cooled or compressed or both. At room temperature, liquid water will naturally vaporize unless the ambient vapor pressure is at the equilibrium pressure or higher. This vaporization requires energy. If no energy is provided (heating), then the water will draw the enthalpy of vaporization from its surroundings.

I'm not sure what end you have in mind. Or, is this a thought problem? If so, it needs restating.

 

[nbo10]

You can compress water. The shock hugoniot is well known for water.