Heating Liquids

[drumz0rz]

So we're all aware that powerful enough lasers can heat and burn solids. But what about liquids?

Lasers usually penetrate water with little distortion or energy loss right? So what about other, more dense liquids. Or what about liquids with a high volume of suspended solids.

If you make a pulp mixture of water/paper, and shined a high enough power laser on the mixture for long enough could you increase the tempurature of the mixture (in physics land, to boil?)

discuss.

 

[bobhaha]

It is very possible... IR laser light was used in the video

 

[Trevor]

I had this idea one. I took some Coke, put it in a clear container, and set my 1.5W 532nm system at full tilt, directed into the fluid. No green light was coming out the other side. I left it for 15 minutes or so.

When I checked back, the fluid had not noticeably changed temperature - to the touch at least.

-Trevor