Creeper
12-01-2001, 09:33 PM
I hear people talk about not playing in the winter because their CO2 will not work, or the paint will be frozen. Hopefully this article will put an end to those myths.
CO2
1. What temp can I play in?
CO2 will freeze at -69.9 F. Anything above that and you're fine. You shouldn't be playing in subzero temperatures anyway. CO2 reaches its boiling point at 87.9 F. Playing above this shouldn't matter, however, because your CO2 tank is pressurized to keep it a liquid.
2. I am playing between the freezing and boiling points. How come I still produce gas?
When depressurized, CO2 liquid quickly enters the gaseous phase. This is what happens in your paintball gun. The liquid CO2 is depressurized, resulting in the flow of gas to power your gun.
3. How come my gas works better in warmer temperatures than colder?
Gases expand and "shrink" depending on temperature. Even though it may be 30 F , there is still gas in your tank. This gas is packed at maxiumum density for the stage. When the gas is released, the warmer temperatures will make make the gas expand quicker, resulting in a further flight. This is because though the molecules of gas are packed at maximum density, there is more expansion at higher temperatures becaused of increased kinetic energy.
4. How come my tank does not explode in 100 F weather?
Gas is less dense than water. Than how come in 100 F weather your tank does not explode because of the increased pressure because of expanding CO2? Because your tank is pressurized, it keeps the CO2 liquid.
Paintballs
1. How come the balls still splatter in 30 F weather?
Specific heat, or the calories of heat needed to raise 1 g of the substance 1 C, is greater in paint than in water. This is the same idea in antifreeze.
2. What idea?
Adding antifreeze raises the boiling point and lowers melting point of your car's fluid. It takes more heat to be taken out to create the crystal lattice needed for a solid because it needs to push the foreign material out. It raises the boiling point because these particles take up the space on the top of the liquid, resulting in less room for the particles to evaporate.
3. What temp will paint freeze in?
I am not sure about this one. Thicker fills will freeze at lower temps than thinner fills.
4. Why does paint get softer in warmer temps?
The solid-liquid structure loses density, resulting in a more flexible compound. In colder temps its density will rise, making a less flexible and soft compound, though not nearly frozen.
That is all I can think of for now. If there are any corrections or clarifications needed, just tell me.
Edit: Changed my mistake about antifreeze, I forgot to proofread.
CO2
1. What temp can I play in?
CO2 will freeze at -69.9 F. Anything above that and you're fine. You shouldn't be playing in subzero temperatures anyway. CO2 reaches its boiling point at 87.9 F. Playing above this shouldn't matter, however, because your CO2 tank is pressurized to keep it a liquid.
2. I am playing between the freezing and boiling points. How come I still produce gas?
When depressurized, CO2 liquid quickly enters the gaseous phase. This is what happens in your paintball gun. The liquid CO2 is depressurized, resulting in the flow of gas to power your gun.
3. How come my gas works better in warmer temperatures than colder?
Gases expand and "shrink" depending on temperature. Even though it may be 30 F , there is still gas in your tank. This gas is packed at maxiumum density for the stage. When the gas is released, the warmer temperatures will make make the gas expand quicker, resulting in a further flight. This is because though the molecules of gas are packed at maximum density, there is more expansion at higher temperatures becaused of increased kinetic energy.
4. How come my tank does not explode in 100 F weather?
Gas is less dense than water. Than how come in 100 F weather your tank does not explode because of the increased pressure because of expanding CO2? Because your tank is pressurized, it keeps the CO2 liquid.
Paintballs
1. How come the balls still splatter in 30 F weather?
Specific heat, or the calories of heat needed to raise 1 g of the substance 1 C, is greater in paint than in water. This is the same idea in antifreeze.
2. What idea?
Adding antifreeze raises the boiling point and lowers melting point of your car's fluid. It takes more heat to be taken out to create the crystal lattice needed for a solid because it needs to push the foreign material out. It raises the boiling point because these particles take up the space on the top of the liquid, resulting in less room for the particles to evaporate.
3. What temp will paint freeze in?
I am not sure about this one. Thicker fills will freeze at lower temps than thinner fills.
4. Why does paint get softer in warmer temps?
The solid-liquid structure loses density, resulting in a more flexible compound. In colder temps its density will rise, making a less flexible and soft compound, though not nearly frozen.
That is all I can think of for now. If there are any corrections or clarifications needed, just tell me.
Edit: Changed my mistake about antifreeze, I forgot to proofread.