Why Does Compressed Air Get Cold Upside Down

Turn that cup upside down and you get all that cold slurpee goodness.

Why does compressed air get cold upside down. The duster can is made so it will just take air out because the intake is at the top like trying to suck on a slurpee with the straw at the top of the cup. When compressed into the can this mixture takes fluid form. I found out in this video. The liquid chemical in the canned air absorbs heat from anything it comes in contact with once it s out of the can.

Yep not all do but many cans of compressed air aren t. Hold your air can upside down and spray between the bottle and the sponges. It s pretty fun to do. This type of product is most often packaged as a can that when a trigger is pressed blasts a stream of compressed gas through a nozzle at the top.

I was wondering exactly how cold it was. Someone else may be able to explain it more accurately but i think that s the general idea. Why does canned air get cold. The liquid which is sprayed while the can is upside down absorbs more heat as it changes from a liquid to a gas when sprayed.

Because these gases are compressed to liquid form when you turn the can upside down and press the nozzle liquid will come out before it turns to gas. Ever spray somebody in the ass with upside down compressed air. This same reason causes compressed air to feel cold as it expands and draws heat from its surroundings. Similarly turn the can upside down and you re shooting out the liquid propellant instead.

Since some of the gases are heavier than air when turned upside down the can will spray out the liquid mixture before it has had time to mix with the lighter gases. A pocket of gas sits at the top of the can preventing liquid from spraying out when the can is right side up. When breathed in these gases can displace the oxygen in your lungs.