They had been breathed out by the yeast quietly consuming the sugars in the mix of fluid. Now, in their darkened glass bottle labeled “CHAMPAGNE” with a fancy parchment colour label, the carbon dioxides, had a purpose! To form a pearl like sphere of gas.
They had started as a measely group of five molecules, trying to stay close to each other, in the meandering world of the champagne bottle. Colette, Clovis, Camille, Celeste and Enzo. Determined to form a bubble regardless of the electrostatic forces emanating from other molecules countering their efforts - the Van der Waals forces. This would be no easy task.
“We need to find an air bubble!” declared Enzo bright-eyed at everything around them.
“Has the fermentation gone to your brain dope head!” Colette countered “Where are we going to find an air bubble – this is a liquid!”
Enzo looked put out.
“Well he has a point,” Camille continued primly “the surface tension would be lower at an air bubble, we would be able to agglomerate.”
“Are you stupid too!” Colette repeated, “look around, this is a fluid”. They pushed past a gaggle of water molecules, using their sturdy oxygens as shields. The waters were so many that Celeste was nearly carried away with them “Help!” he squeaked out. Of course, no one could, he was on his own, but he managed to join the group again eventually. It was hard to see each other in the mess of bonds around them.
“Maybe if we make our way to the bottle edges, we might be able to use the bubbles on the side” suggested Clovis, timidly.
“They might not be big enough” countered Colette. She’d been created barely twenty minutes ago and was already a negative influence.
They were fighting past a mixture of ethanols and waters, extricating themselves to not get separated.
“It’s worth the attempt.” agreed Camille more positively. Panting a little from the effort.
“Let’s vote!” shouted Enzo excitedly.
However as soon as he said that, a decanoic acid, longer than the molecules they had seen so far lazily swam past. Enzo watched the beast entranced, massive in size compared to the tiny carbon dioxides. He didn’t notice the acid’s tail. It distractedly moved along. Carelessly, the decanoic acid unaware of the insignificant molecules around him, swatted Enzo painfully on the back shooting him away from the others.
Enzo made an uncontrolled whooosh across the bottle and his motion was stopped only by another longer chain of glucoses.
He was lost and alone. Colette! Celeste! He yelped into the indifferent crowd of molecules.
His friends were gone.
“Pssst! Hey!” he heard.
That’s when he saw them. Wedged between the long chain of glucoses that had stopped him. Molecules of carbon dioxide, nitrogen. A small air bubble was caught within the fibres.
“You’re an air bubble!” Enzo exclaimed.
“We are!” one of the nitrogens said, “Why don’t you join us.”
Enzo moved closer “but how are you here. My friend said this is a liquid”
“Oh, it happens with champagne when you clean the bottle. We fell from the fibres in the rag.”
“Wait till my friends see you!” Enzo exclaimed excitedly! He snuggled up-to the air bubble. It was much more comfortable here.
They were protected by the fibre and as they moved along the liquid, more Carbon dioxides started pushing their way past molecules, fighting the Van der Waals forces propelling them back. The gas pockets gave reprieve against the forces of the surroundings.
Their glass agglomerate started to form.
Enzo saw them then. Colette, Clovis, Camille, Celeste. He called out to them. “Hey guys! Look what I found!”
Colette gasped in disbelief.
The group joined the steadily growing carbon dioxide congregation.
The carbon dioxides started to pile on together. Once they were enough, they pushed away from the fibre, courageously. Ready to face the viscosity of their liquid surroundings. Together they moved up along the bottle, picking up more and more carbon dioxides as they went.
Enzo was satisfied with his lot. They’d fulfilled their purpose.
Nothing could burst his bubble…
...at least, for a while.
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