Brain Teasers
Not So Great Invention #2
Not willing to give up after a failed attempt to invent a better windshield ice scraper, a would-be inventor decided that heated windshield washer fluid was the way to go. It would melt the ice with a very hot cleaning solution, thereby eliminating the need for scraping the ice off the front windshield. However, this invention proved a failure as well. Passing all tests done to insure it worked, it did indeed remove the ice effortlessly in record time. It even sold well initially, but was recalled for safety reasons.
Why?
Why?
Hint
What happens to glass if heated too fast?Answer
Windshields can withstand a fair bit of expansion and contraction from cold & heat. Yet in cases of extreme cold, the hot fluid caused the glass windshields to crack. The car that was used for testing was sitting still at -15 degrees Celsius but a car driving at 120 km /h creates a wind chill of -33 deg. In some northern areas temperatures of -30 are not uncommon, giving a wind chill of -56 deg., far too cold to be spraying hot liquid on a windshield.Hide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
What Next?
View a Similar Brain Teaser...
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Solve a Puzzle
Comments hidden to avoid spoilers.
Follow Braingle!