Why does the bottle that pressurized butane is used for get cold?

Question

you know when your filling a lighter up or something, the canister always gets cold after you use some of the butane

Answer 1

The boiling point of n-butane is -0.5C.  When you (~37C) are feeling the canister, there is a transfer of energy, and by allowing butane to leave you are changing the pressure in the canister---the liquid butane starts boiling from the decrease in pressure and heat from your hands; the metal feels cold to the touch.  If you've ever spilled a low boiling solvent like acetone, pentane or ether on your hands a similar phenomenon is experienced (fingers "feel cold").

Answer 2

That's easy! The butane is used to create fire, right? And what are the three 'ingredients' for fire? Fuel, air, and heat. That's right, the butane canister gets colder because it not only ads fuel to the lighter, it also ads heat.

Sure, the butane companies WANT you to think that as the butane expands it cools, but who are you gonna trust?

Answer 3

The vaporization and expansion of the gas consumes energy and that loss of energy causes the temperature to drop.

Answer 4

The bottle holds liquid butane, as it expands to a gas it becomes more energetic.  to accomplish the transition from liquid to gas It absorbs that energy from it's surroundings, making it's surroundings colder.  You feel the same effect to a lesser degree if you put rubbing alcohol on your skin, your skin will feel cooler as it evaporates (becomes gas) because it's absorbing the heat energy from you.