How to make water like gas?
February 9, 2012 9:27 AM   Subscribe

Weird science-y question! Is there any kind of (nontoxic, readily available) liquid that behaves in some ways like smoke?

This is related to a previous question about an video installation I'm working on. I'm going to be projecting light into a small plastic box, with the original idea of filling the box with smoke. The smoke helps to make the light beam visible, so it becomes like a 3D light sculpture. However, using any kind of smoke (even dry ice) is tricky in the gallery situation I'm in.

So, the other option I'm exploring is projecting through some kind of liquid, but it needs to also illuminate the light beam, and, ideally, feel "alive" and in motion the way smoke would. I'm open to the idea of offering a stick or spoon that viewers can use to swirl the liquid around to create this effect. I'm also open to putting some kind of particles in the liquid to help give it depth (like glitter suspended in some kind of viscous liquid?)

However, I'm stumped as to what kind of liquid might work. I also realize this may be an impossible question. But I'd be grateful for even outrageous suggestions!
posted by Ms. Toad to Media & Arts (9 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Water with fine particulate matter (try some nondairy coffee creamer) suspended in it.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:32 AM on February 9, 2012 [1 favorite]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_stirrer with a cloudy, semi-viscous liquid? Corn syrup + sand
posted by MangyCarface at 9:34 AM on February 9, 2012


Having a heat source under the liquid would get it to convect, think lava lamp.
posted by advicepig at 9:41 AM on February 9, 2012 [2 favorites]


An aquarium pump might work for keeping the liquid moving. Perhaps glitter flakes in the water, like a snowglobe, would provide the effect you are looking for.
posted by The Deej at 9:48 AM on February 9, 2012


Perhaps you could add some miso to water and add some sort of low-level heat source? This would make the water somewhat cloudy and give it the "dynamic" look of smoke.
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:56 AM on February 9, 2012


Best answer: Look into ultrasonic misters. They are relatively inexpensive, and run on water.
posted by Comrade_robot at 11:01 AM on February 9, 2012 [2 favorites]


Wizard Stick?
posted by K.P. at 11:55 AM on February 9, 2012


E-cigarettes.
posted by digitalprimate at 12:27 PM on February 9, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks all! I got my hands on an ultrasonic fogger (for a reptile terrarium) and it's perfect. Wouldn't have figured that out without MeFi. (And I did check into Wizard Sticks and E-Cigarettes). So thank you!
posted by Ms. Toad at 6:40 PM on February 9, 2012


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