Throughout grade school, students are taught that matter only exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. But this fundamental science lesson is an oversimplification.

Scientists have recently observed water in the form of both liquid and gas. Between 32 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit, water exists as a liquid.  Above 212 degrees, it becomes a gas.  And at a temperature below 32 degrees it will freeze and become a solid.

Scientists recently examined water within a hydrothermal vent function both as a gas and a liquid simultaneously, at a temperature of 867 degrees Fahrenheit. This discovery was so bizarre and unique the scientists decided to classify this material as a new fluid. They decided to mark it as, “supercritical fluid.”

This discovery shows us that we still have a lot to learn about matter. The way that we see the physical world would differ greatly in extreme conditions. In magma-heated water at nearly 10,000 feet deep in the ocean, any increase in temperature and/or pressure surpassing a certain “critical point” puts a material into the “supercritical zone.” Virginia Tech polymer scientist Erdogan Kiran, says, “It’s where the distinction between liquid and gas disappears.”                                        

Scientists say that these fluids can tell us much more about the development of the energy and materials that support deep-vent ecosystems. This information may in fact give scientists clues about the metals, heat, and minerals that are deep under the Earth’s crust; and that may be a key component to early life on Earth.

While this is the first direct observation of these fluids in nature, they are thought to be common in our solar system and in outer space. The results of these studies indicate that you can find these fluids in the atmosphere of Venus, and in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. They are believed to also exist on the seafloor of Jupiter’s moon, Europa.

If these newly discovered fluids were re-created in a lab, they could be used differently and uniquely with other materials. One of their uses would be using less fossil fuels by productively readying biomass before it is made into ethanol. They might also have some less important but useful gifts, like being used for processes such as decaffeinating coffee. Because of their many potential uses, these fluids may also have a wide variety of applications for manufacturing.

Needless to say, further research of these fluids will help scientists to better understand our physical world.

[Sources: Discover Magazine; SciLinks.com]