The document summarizes the design and functioning of the drinking bird toy. It was designed in 1945 by Miles V. Sullivan and is made of glass with a tube running through two bulbs that form the head and stomach. When dipped in water, the water evaporates off the beak, cooling the head and causing methylene chloride to condense in droplets. This difference in vapor pressure causes the liquid to rise and fall, making the bird repeatedly "drink" in a perpetual motion-like process. It demonstrates evaporation and condensation through this self-sustaining cycle.

1. By: Lindsay Bradshaw
*

2. *
*Designed by Miles V. Sullivan in
1945
*Made of glass with tube
running through two bulbs that
make up the head and stomach
*Bird’s “body” is attached to two
plastic legs by a metal fulcrum
(Gillespie 6)

3. *
http://www.officeplayground.com/Assets/Product
Preview/pi2900-2999/2954_drinkingbird_1.jpg
*Feathers, hat,
and eyes for
decoration
*Cloth material
blankets the
bird’s head to
help the bird
complete it’s
task
(Helmenstine 7)

4. *
*Initially in a state of equilibrium
with small amount of methylene
chloride
*When dipped in water, the water
evaporates off of the beak causing
the head to drop in temperature
(Rohrig 3)

5. *
*This reduction of temperature results in
methylene chloride condensing into
droplets in the bird’s head
*Condensation of methylene chloride
occurs because of the weakness of the
intermolecular bonds in liquid phase
*Liquid evaporates easily, lowering vapor
pressure in top bulb (Gillespie 6)

6. *
*Difference in vapor pressure causes
equilibrium to shift, making the
liquid start to rise into the top
*Bird tips over and “drinks” the water
*Bubbles of vapor in tube push liquid
back into the bottom bulb
*This process continues forever,
unless the bird does not make
contact with the water (Rohrig 1)

7. *
*Demonstrates evaporation and
condensation
*Variety of applications like
weather prediction, cooking, and
air travel.
http://dailydishrecipes.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/09/boiling-
water.jpg
http://theconnectivist-
img.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/10/Airplane-
1300x724.jpg

8. *
*Gillespie, Carol. "How a Drinking Bird Works." Sciences 360.
Helium, 15 Nov. 2009. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/how-a-drinking-
bird-works-12678/>.
*Helmenstine, Anne Marie. "How the Drinking Bird Science
Toy Works." About.com Chemistry. About.com, n.d. Web. 26
Apr. 2014.
<http://chemistry.about.com/od/physicalchemistrythermo
/a/How-The-Drinking-Bird-Science-Toy-Works.htm>.
*Rohrig, Brian. "The Amazing Drinking Bird." American
Chemical Society. American Chemical Society, 2014. Web. 3
Apr. 2014.
<http://highschoolenergy.acs.org/content/hsef/en/what-
is-energy/drinking-bird.html>.