Science! - Cyclohexane at the Triple Point

A volumetric flask containing liquid cyclohexane is depressurised to a very low pressure by a turbomolecular vacuum pump. The rapid drop in pressure results in a rapid drop in temperature, causing the substance to temporarily freeze, but the system is unstable, flirting with the triple point (a point of pressure and temperature at which a substance is simultaneously solid, liquid, and gas).
The result is a fluctuation between all three states of matter, in a rather stunning display of chemistry and physics in action.

[yousorooo]

This glitch will be fixed in the next version of World 2.0:
+ Fixed forks balancing on a toothpick bug
+ Disabled the ability to be boiling and freezing at the same time
+ Fixed water can go back up into the tap when oscillating at certain frequencies
+ Fixed divide by zero issue

[Likbau]

The triple point of cyclohexane is one of the easiest ones to reach, friendly in a lab environment and not too difficult to obtain. You can do this easily with the standard equipment and such of a high school laboratory.
Good experiment.

[FrankBoyd]

I've seen countless graphs of triple points, but never something at triple point in real life. So awesome.

[Murdocissoawesome]

Ruined a perfectly good chemical is what you did
Look at it. It's got anxiety.

[herrbrahms]

For those who are interested, the material is at 6.33C at approximately 1/19 of an atmosphere.

[RudyRoiz]

The video above is what happens if a liquid is placed in conditions where the temperature is right at the point where it freezes and the gas pressure is removed. With no pressure it can't stay liquid, but it is right on the cusp between boiling and freezing, so it does a little of both.  Going from liquid to gas absorbs energy, while liquid to solid changes release it. This can keep the process in balance - if too much material boils the temperature will fall, shifting the balance in favor of freezing.
 
Some coverage has wrongly described the video as showing the triple point. However, at the triple point gas, liquid and solid can all survive indefinitely. What we are seeing is what would happen anywhere along the dotted lines to the left of the on the graph below to the left of the triple point.
 
We don't see this sort of thing often because if we performed such an experiment in a closed environment the boiling gas would build up pressure, allowing the remaining material to stay liquid. In the vidoe that is addressed by constantly drawing off the vapor.

[Flopsaurus]

I had always heard of this, but never could imagine what it could actually look like. This is awesome.

[ShadingNight]

Alright.... who the fuck divided by zero?

[gSys]

God is patching it in the next Update.

[MRSketch]

I just want to thank you for uploading this clip, really cool.

[BinkieMcFartnuggets]

Reminds me of my bipolar aunt on Thanksgiving.

[thefriendlysenpai]

This is what we call bipolar water.
It's so confused XD

[officialnintendoseal]

It's not science...

*Removes thick scientist glasses*

IT'S WITCHCRAFT!!1

[deborahfranza]

SO DOPE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING I WANTED TO SEE WHAT A SUBSTANCE WOULD LOOK LIKE REACHING ITS TRIPLE POINT!!! YOU WOULDN'T IMAGINE HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND A FREAKIN PHOTO!!!

[Snotnarok]

An example of hell freezing over? ...
That was certainly a strange watch.

[demetriarule]

The atoms in there are freaking the fuck out!

[theoferrum]

It's called Triple Point - a specific Temperature and Pressure at which Water will take on the form of a Solid, Liquid and Gas all at the same time.

[tjimicole]

Physics, people. It beats the hell out of magic any day.

[MrKittyJohnes]

this is one of the best videos showing a triple point that ive seen and instead of talking about how amazing this shit looks people are just arguing in the comments (, :

[scottvarley]

Best triple point video I have seen. Thank you!