Liquid and Viscosity - A Cautionary Tale

Daddy says that science can save us from many things. If we know the science, we can make our choices properly. For example, if we know that gravity will always win, we can avoid standing beneath objects that are perilously placed (like snow on a roof or large rubber balls filled with oil).

Apologies for the audio. It's pretty low here but this is the best clip I could find.



Of course, if we don't know the science involved, then we just have to go on other people's dumb mistakes. Another example, perhaps?

The year is 2006. It is a warm spring evening and Dad our hero is braving the evening alone. The adventure begins several days prior with the tragic breaking of the cord holder on the vacuum cleaner (you know, that piece that you wind the cord around). This has our hero thinking feverishly for a solution...I mean, for god's sake, the cord is just lying on the floor. But then, an idea!




What could he possibly use to fasten this piece back on to the vacuum? Ahh, yes. Crazy glue. Our hero dashes to find the solution to this horrific problem and comes back with a brand new bottle in hand. A couple of warning signs that should have given our hero pause:

1. The tube of glue comes inside another container to ensure minimal contact

2. The warnings on the label state, "If product comes into contact with skin, call local poison control"

But our hero is a brave soul and brazenly opens the outer container.

3. The viscosity of crazy glue is unknown to our protagonist

The inner tube is sealed and must have the cover pierced in order to access the liquid gold that will save us. Luckily, they have provided a "built-in piercer", right in the lid!!! Daddy The bravest soul we've ever known removes the lid and points the 'piercer' up towards the upside-down tube coming towards it.

*A small side note about the viscosity of crazy glue. It is not viscous at all. In fact, it is pretty close to water...it just pours out at a staggering rate*

Upon piercing the upside-down tube, gravity takes over. The liquid gold, quickly evacuates it's tube and covers our hero's left hand (which is holding the lid/piercer). His eyes grow wide with shock at this unexpected turn of events and he quickly drops the lid into the sink and spreads his fingers (my, doesn't he think quickly, after-the-fact). Keeping his calm, he sprints over to the container to find the emergency instructions. He grabs the container with his sticky hand, realizes his mistake and switches hands. He smacks his forehead for being so dumb but also does this with his sticky hand and it doesn't come away so quickly. He manages to pry his hand off his own forehead without any damage and proceeds to read the emergency instructions...
Hmmm, call poison control. Where the heck would one find the number for poison control? With his one good hand, he rushes to the phone books and flips to the first page...what luck!!! All the emergency numbers are right there. The glue has basically set at this point giving him a shiny, thin cast on his left hand. He bangs it on the wall to see how hard his new "cast" is. It isn't hard at all and he has bruised his hand.
Off to the phone!
"Poison control, can I please get your phone number?"
"Yeah, it's 905-460-8888"
"Can you please explain your emergency?"
"I'm dumb"
"What's that?"
"Well, I was working with crazy glue and I have managed to cover my hand with it..."
"You covered your hand?"
"You don't have to say it with that incredulous tone, you know"
"Sorry, sorry. Have you gotten anything stuck? Nothing is touching it and your fingers are apart?"
"No, nothing is stuck"
"We don't really have a solution for that kind of thing."
"Well, I'm glad I phoned, then."
"Somethings that people have suggested in the past include..."

And so our hero turns the tv on with his right hand and sits down to watch. His left hand covered in peanut butter and soaking in a bowl of vegetable oil. In hindsight, he suspects that the glue would have come off just as fast if he sat there and did nothing, but who among us is willing to take that chance?