Universal Solvent
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.
A scientist was approached by a man who offered to sell him a flask of universal solvent, a liquid that he swore would dissolve any substance it touched. The scientist knew he was lying. How did he know?
Answer
The liquid hadn't dissolved the flask.
Hide
Comments
Skinnyspace
Jul 31, 2002
| easty peasty leton squesty lol |
ADAMANT545
Sep 30, 2002
| easy moneys again |
(user deleted)
Oct 02, 2002
| The dissolution may take years, but still be effective. It gives plenty of time to transfer the solvent. |
(user deleted)
Oct 12, 2002
| this was in the mensa book.....but it was some crazy guy from russia.....anyway when put in the story its a little trickier |
magoo_girl
Oct 14, 2002
| too easy |
PATYMANY
Oct 14, 2002
| U SHOULDNT HAV MENTIONED FLASK |
glyn1wood
Dec 31, 2002
| it could have dissolved everything it touched only at a certain temperature (eg. higher than what it was in the place it was sold) |
KhRiSsY
Jan 26, 2003
| I'm so proud, I got this right! mwahaha, although it was pretty easy ;) |
jetdjc15
Aug 27, 2004
| that was not a science kwestion  |
aznboi1324  
Feb 19, 2005
| e-z duh |
vbguy101 
Sep 30, 2006
| Ohhhh. |
vbguy101
Sep 30, 2006
| Good one! |
tangled_brain
Jun 15, 2008
| well actually, it may have, and the solution could have become saturated for that temperature. I'm not sure whether to correct this somehow by offering an alternate reason or what. (That alternate reason would be that the solvent, if non-polar, wouldn't be able to dissolve polar molecules, and vice versa. If it were a surfactant, (a molecule with one side polar and the other non-polar) it wouldn't dissolve anything, but make emulsions. |
AndrewWalker
Jun 23, 2008
| this seems like a trick teaser |
Back to Top
| |
|
