Liquid nitrogen can be used in many ways in the world of science, buy today we’re using it for fun to show it works! Rick Crosslin, scientist in residence for MSD Wayne Township, joined us today with a few interesting experiments you won’t believe until you see.
Liquid Nitrogen facts:
- Nitrogen is an element N
- It makes up 70% of our atmosphere
- It is an inert gas – odorless, clear
- It can be compressed and made into a liquid at very low temperatures, -320 degrees Fahrenheit
- It expands at room temperature to 694 times its volume
For reference, space is about -455 degrees Fahrenheit . When sunlight hits the moon’s surface, the temperature can reach 260 degrees Fahrenheit and in the dark or night -280 degrees Fahrenheit .
Items can change their properties when they are heated or cooled.
Experiments:
- show LN
- freeze flowers
- Rubber hose
- exploding can and pringles
- frozen banana
- balloons
- lindenfrost effect
- ghost drops on water
For more of Rick’s experiments and science lessons, click here.