Why do highly pressurized cans/gas cylinders ( like eg. lighter gas, propane cylinders etc) go cold when the pressure is released?
In: Other
The medium is under pressure and in liquid state while inside the vessel, but would normally be in a gaseous state at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Releasing the gas allows for a change in state from liquid to gas. The state change process absorbs heat from the surrounding area, thus creating a cooling effect.
This principal is exploited in the refrigeration process and is essentially how air reconditioning and refrigerators work.
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