Brain Teasers
Universal Solvent
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 Answer Show Answer
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Comments
easty peasty leton squesty lol
easy moneys again
Oct 02, 2002
The dissolution may take years, but still be effective. It gives plenty of time to transfer the solvent.
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
too easy
U SHOULDNT HAV MENTIONED FLASK
it could have dissolved everything it touched only at a certain temperature (eg. higher than what it was in the place it was sold)
I'm so proud, I got this right! mwahaha, although it was pretty easy ;)
that was not a science kwestion
e-z duh
Ohhhh.
Good one!
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.
this seems like a trick teaser
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