Book 30, Question 103 · Video
Why does tap water sometimes look milky and then clear up?
Sometimes water from the tap looks milky or cloudy when you first fill a glass. The cloud is made of lots of tiny air bubbles. Water in pipes is under pressure, which keeps extra air dissolved in it. When it comes out and the pressure drops, the air forms bubbles, like in a soda. The glass clears from the bottom up, as the bubbles rise and pop. Milky water is safe.
Read the full answer →Watch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does tap water sometimes look milky and then clear up?
The Big Idea
Sometimes tap water looks milky! Then it slowly clears. What's happening?
Tiny Bubbles
Step one: Tiny Bubbles. Sometimes water looks milky or cloudy when you first fill a glass. The cloud is made of lots of tiny air bubbles, not dirt.
Under Pressure
Step two: Under Pressure. Water in pipes is under pressure, which keeps extra air dissolved in it. When it comes out and the pressure drops, the air forms bubbles, like when you open a soda.
Clearing Up
Step three: Clearing Up. The glass clears from the bottom up as the bubbles rise and pop at the surface. Milky water like this is safe to drink.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Squeeze air in. Drops at the tap. Form fast. Clear it.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Cold water holds more dissolved air than warm water, so it can look milkier. Like opening a soda. Clears bottom first. It's safe to drink.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Fill one clear glass from the cold tap. Watch it clear from the bottom up. Fill another with warm tap water. Watch that one too. Which looks milkier?
Outro
Milky tap water is full of tiny air bubbles. Water in pipes is under pressure that keeps extra air dissolved, and when the pressure drops at the tap, bubbles form like in soda. The glass clears from the bottom up and is safe to drink. Science is amazing! Remember, every big discovery starts with a small question. Keep looking, keep learning, and keep asking why! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!