Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:07:29

Title: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:07:29

Have you seen it? I've seen some little water features (is Charlie Dimmock still around) in DIY stores and they have some smokey layer on the surface of the water. What is it and how is this formed?

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 09/07/2007 09:12:10

It's the goldfish having a crafty ciggy

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:13:46

Smoked haddock?

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:18:19

Clearly its Ian GILLan, Ian Plaice and Jon "Dory" Lord doing their most famous track!

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 09/07/2007 09:26:08

I know what you mean, its a bit like the fog you get from dry ice and water although I don't think that can be the way its done.  Looking at it it appears to be fine droplets of water or steam.  my guess is that the drive for the fountain is not a pump but a very hot wire that briefly boils a bit of water to work the pump like a coffee percolator this also sucks some air through the mixture but it leaves a bit of cool steam in the air to float on the water.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:29:26

But wouldn't this make a noise too? The ones I've seem to be relatively quiet. And it really hugs the water surface too, which might not be the case for steam? Warmer bodies tend to rise, and this "smoke" certainly doesn't.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 09/07/2007 23:11:27

After a bit of thought I tend to agree with you and wondered if it could be a process that atomises water droplets this could be a very powerful spray or possibly untrasonic cavitiation of the water surface.

  If you Google  +mist +fountain + water

You will see that they use ultrasonics to force fine droplets off the surface of the water.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 10/07/2007 07:26:20

Thanks Ian! I'll go and have a peek......

Does it have any industrial use or is it purely for aesthetics? there must be a need somewhere for chasing water particles from the surface.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 10/07/2007 11:29:51

OK, I've ssen the link, and understand that it is ultrasonics. But how? Is it a bit like the kitchen science experiemnt from a couple of weeks ago, with the styrofoam cup, the carpet and water? Where waves peaks collided, a mini fountain was formed. Do the ultrasonic waves work in the same way?

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 14/07/2007 23:41:19

The ultrasonic waves cause violent movement of the surface of the water so that small droplets of water are shaken from the top of the waves that form.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: dentstudent on 16/07/2007 07:30:39

Thanks SS! I think that's all clear now!

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: daveshorts on 24/07/2007 12:25:25

I think it is similar to the kitchen science experiment yes

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: Chartreuxe on 23/06/2018 20:38:15

Quote from: dentstudent on 09/07/2007 09:07:29

Have you seen it? I've seen some little water features (is Charlie Dimmock still around) in DIY stores and they have some smokey layer on the surface of the water. What is it and how is this formed?

Dry ice is added to the water feature to create the mist.  It's CO2 from the frozen CO2 in the water.  Observe that the 'mist' appears above the water reservoirs.

Title: Re: What is the "smoke" or mist you get above some water features?
Post by: rami999 on 12/08/2018 00:03:28

i dont know what are you talking about