What happened with my water bottle

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an unusual experience with a water bottle that deformed when attempting to open it. Participants explore potential explanations for the phenomenon, considering aspects of physics related to pressure, vacuum formation, and temperature effects on bottled liquids.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a water bottle that created a powerful suction upon opening, leading to deformation of the bottle.
  • Another suggests that the phenomenon could be related to the principles of canning, where cooling water creates a vacuum under the sealed cap.
  • A question is raised about the altitude at which the water was bottled, implying that higher elevations might influence pressure conditions.
  • Some participants share similar experiences with other types of bottles, indicating that collapsing bottles can occur under certain conditions.
  • There is a discussion about whether the vacuum existed before attempting to open the bottle or was a result of the opening action itself.
  • One participant hypothesizes that cracking the cap could have caused air to rush in, potentially increasing internal pressure rather than creating a vacuum.
  • Another participant mentions past experiences with bottles collapsing when opened after being frozen, drawing parallels to the current situation.
  • There is speculation about the critical pressure point that might have caused the inward deformation of the bottle.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various hypotheses and experiences, but there is no consensus on the exact cause of the deformation or the nature of the pressure changes involved. Multiple competing views remain regarding the mechanics at play.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about pressure dynamics, temperature effects, and the specific conditions of the water bottle remain unresolved. The discussion does not clarify the exact physical principles that led to the observed behavior.

Pengwuino
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I had the oddest thing happen to me this morning. I was opening a water bottle... you know, bottled water that's $1 a bottle :smile: :smile: not really.. but yah, so i twisted open this bottle's cap about half a revolution and for some reason, it created a suction so poweful that it deformed the bottle and refused to open. I later had to just cut the little things attaching the cap and that ring to get it open.

Anyone have a clue what in the world happened here?

Is it possible that it was literally full of water and i was producing a vacuum in there and if so, how strong of a vacuum could really have existed in there? I got all wet because of it!
 
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Did you find any liquified air in the bottom of the container? That might have something to do with it.
 
Not that i remember. This was a simple bottle of water.
 
You could have had an issue like what is done, on purpose in canning. If the water was bottled and capped at a higher temperature, once the cap was in place, the water cools and volume decreases, causing a vacuum under the sealed cap.
 
Was it bottled in Colorado or someplace higher?
 
Pengwuino said:
... i twisted open this bottle's cap about half a revolution and for some reason, it created a suction so poweful that it deformed the bottle and refused to open...
Can you clarify?

Was the vacuum in there before you tried to open it, or are you saying that your attempt to open it caused the suction?

Did it simply begin to deform as soon as you broke the seal?

Or do you mean you twisted the cap ON?
 
My very first attempt to open the new bottle of water created the suction. No seal had broken or anything, it just started making the vacuum. It was bottled "Near California's Mount Shasta" at the "CG (crystal gyser) Roxane Source". Not sure how high it was but I've never had this happen to a bottle from them!
 
I've had this occassionaly happen with plastic cola-filled bottles, so, I know what you mean. As I start to un-twist the cap, the damn bottle collapses(squeezes in on it's own) and sprays me with cola.
 
Pengwuino said:
I got all wet because of it!
Wow ! Physics does excite you !

As for the weird bottle thing, some parts of the description are a bit confusing. If the air above the water was at a low pressure, cracking the cap will only cause air to rush in the tiny gaps and equilibrate the inside to atmosphere. I've often experienced this. A partially consumed bottle of water, after some refrigeration, will become wobbly. Cracking the cap fills it out and steadies it.

My best guess now is that cracking the cap caused air to seep in and increase the pressure inside the bottle. This increase in internal pressure resulted in a uniform outward stress on all parts of the bottle and cap. Now if the cap were made of stiffer or thicker material than the neck of the bottle (which I assume is plastic), the bottle-neck would want to expand more than the cap, but it can't. This causes the exerienced jamming.
 
  • #10
Gokul, the problem was that it deformed inwards, not outwards. It was weird because when i opened it at that half revolution or whatever, it became impossibly hard to continue opening. It's as if i tightened the bottle when i tried to untighten it. And no, I'm not stupid and wasn't trying ot close it :P
 
  • #11
On further thought, its happened to me before. With a pepsi in a freezer, and water bottles in the freezer. When I open it, they collapse. Not as violent as your situation Pengwuino, but it happens. Also, my waters tend to explode when I open them after they've been filled too much for freezing.
 
  • #12
My guess is, there was low pressure inside the bottle from cooling but not enough to pass some critical point to deform inward. When you were holding the bottle you put enough pressure to get past this critical point allowing the low pressure to keep it sucked in.
 
  • #13
Pengwuino said:
Gokul, the problem was that it deformed inwards, not outwards.
What part of the bottle deformed ?
Was it a regular plastic bottle ?
What happened when you did finally get it open ?
 

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