[NewCandle] Ongoing aluminum foil hydrolysis

[Jones Beene]

Nick - one question off the top - (and it is not quibbling ;-)


> At comparable rest temps, the bubbling from
the rolls took off, but the mean bubble size was much
smaller - literally a high rate super "fizz" rather
than the larger (>3mm) bubbles that would be evident
when either normal water or slightly D2O enhanced
water was used.  Does added D2O somehow reduce the
surface tension or energy of water?  

Don't you mean "Does added D2O somehow increase the
surface tension or energy of water?" ?

... i.e. higher surface tension =  smaller bubbles 

... not real sure which is true, to be honest ....

...but I would think that higher surface tension =  smaller bubbles because it allows them to break away sooner from the bulk water as intact small units. Although the counter argument also has merit. That would be that larger bubbles burst sooner if the surface tension is low, so the appearance of smaller bubbles (if one does not watch closely) means lower surface tension.

Does anyone know for sure? This cold be important -- for a reason to follow.

I do know that surface tension is a function of hydrogen bonding between adjacent molecules- 

... but the attraction, in any single water molecule of protons to oxygen++ is (or should be) slightly more than for deuterium to the same oxygen, due to the charge shielding effect of the neutron:  ergo the charge available for secondary (hydrogen) binding to other molecules should be slightly more with deuterium... or not.

Here again - it would be nice to have an authoritative reference. 

Not to mention, the reason that it might be important is that it might indicate a new way to enrich heavy water (frothing ??) - that is, if it were a substantial difference.

Jones