[Byrne]

My teacher mentioned something about how ancient tribes and nomads kept their water cool in the desert.  I do not exactly recall what he said, but it had something to do with these individuals storing water in rough jugs and the water would transpire through the walls of the jugs (ceramic) and the rest of the water left in the jug would take the energy to cool.  That's the best I could recollect his words.  I was wondering if someone else could perhaps better explain this process.  I know it has something to do with equilibrium and evaporation being an endothermic process.

[Borek]

I don't know what more can be added - external surface of the jug was slightly wet and water was evaporating taking heat from the jug. That's all.

[mike]

Yes you can do the same thing here in Australia. You can buy a form of bladder to keep water in. You can tie it to the front of your car and the water weeps through the bladder and the air moving past the car hevaporates the water to result in cooling.

[RyanJones]

Have two containers, an inner and an outer with water in both. Too the outer add Ammonium Nitrate, shake and you'll ahve ice cold if not frozen water in no time :-)

Cheers,

Ryan Jones