On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:03:19 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>Alex Corvinus wrote:
>>
>> Maybe not..... I've had to dilute medicinal alcohol (190 proof) down
>> to vodka levels ( changing polarity levels, for extractions in
>> soxhlet extractors), and have seen, I believe, what he describes. It
>> looks a little like swirling glycerine in water. Eventually, they misc
>> totally, but for a while, they resist and you can see it when you hold
>> it up to the light.
>
>Why couldn't he just give the bottle a good shake
>to cover up the evidence?

Actually, there is another telltale giveaway. Water and alcohol do NOT
absorb/dissolve air equally. I forget which is which, I think water
hold more dissolved gases at STP equilibrium. Anyway, when you mix
them, the two components sort of compromise on the gas-dissolving
issue and one of them degasses, releasing with lots of tiny bubbles.

Gotcha!

Alex, who always had to let the 190 proof/water mixtures stabilize
before pronouncing them ready to use.