A demonstration of a water drop travelling uphill on a very hot ratcheted surface on its blanket of steam. This idea comes from a New Scientist article in 2006.
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A close up of a large drop of water dropped onto a hot ratcheted surface. The water travels uphill from right to left then down the other side. The surface was made from the iron laminations from a very small transformer. They are held in place with a crocodile clip onto an aluminium bar and are tilted downward from left to right although the optical illusion makes this look less obvious. The spirit level in the background is dead level as is the camera.
The MAPP gas blowtorch heating the laminations. Temperatures have an optimal range of perhaps 200 – 300 degrees C. The temperature in the middle photo has dropped to around 187 degrees and a water drop will wet the iron and boil with splashing and disintegration of the drop. Apparently the same happens with many liquids including alcohol and liquid nitrogen.
Related pages
Liquid NitrogenTry something else
Jacobs ladder from a microwave oven
External
New Scientist article
Water travels uphill Google+ post: Oct 21, 2011
Photo Date: Oct 28, 2006