bubbler
Noun: 1. A device for aerating a liquid: A piece of equipment, often used in laboratories or industrial processes, that introduces air or another gas into a liquid by forcing it through a small opening, creating bubbles. 2. A drinking fountain: A public fixture that provides a stream of water for drinking, often by releasing it in an upward jet. (This meaning is primarily used in certain regions, such as parts of the United States, including Wisconsin and Rhode Island).
- As a laboratory/industrial device:
- The chemist used a bubbler to introduce carbon dioxide into the solution.
- A gas bubbler is often placed at the end of a vacuum line to prevent backflow.
- As a drinking fountain:
- After the game, the kids ran to the bubbler for a drink of water.
- "I'm thirsty. Is there a bubbler in this park?" she asked, using the local term.
- Safety bubbler: In chemistry, a specific type of bubbler filled with a liquid (like oil or mercury) that allows gas to escape while preventing air from entering a closed system, acting as a pressure relief valve.
- The reaction setup included a safety bubbler to monitor gas evolution and maintain atmospheric pressure.
- Bubble (verb): To form or produce bubbles.
- The water began to bubble as it boiled.
- Aerator (noun): A more general term for a device that introduces air into a substance. A bubbler is a type of aerator.
- He attached an aerator to the faucet to reduce splashing.
- For the device: Gas diffuser, sparger, aerator.
- For the fountain: Drinking fountain, water fountain (common in most English dialects).
The word "bubbler" has two distinct and common meanings. The intended meaning is almost entirely determined by context: 1. In scientific, laboratory, or technical contexts, it almost always refers to the device for bubbling gas. 2. In casual conversation, especially in specific regional dialects of American English, it commonly refers to a drinking fountain. Outside those regions, this usage may cause confusion.
- any of various devices in which air or some other gas is bubbled through a liquid
- a public fountain to provide a jet of drinking water