Question

Prior to science lab, Maria had been drinking a can of soda. When she walked into the lab she set it down on the hot plate at her station. She heard a liquid beginning to boil, and realized that the previous students had forgotten to turn off the hotplate and the boiling noise was from the remaining soda in the can. Without thinking, she picked up the can with her bare hands, and put it upside down into the sink which was half full of liquid. Immediately the can crushed as though it was going to be recycled.

Answer 1

this can be explained as follows:

the can becomes rather hot and when immersed in the liquid lower in temp, it starts to contract as air/ liquids move from hotter regions to cooler ones

here the liquid and gas escape, lowering the pressure inside so the atmospheric pressure
crushes it