Liquid Nitrogen Clouds Clouds of Fun and the Science of Deep Freeze  email to friend
print this page

Nitrogen makes up 79 percent of the air we breathe. If you compress nitrogen and get it really, really cold, it becomes liquid. Liquid nitrogen is 320 degrees below zero. Liquid nitrogen is so cold, it boils when exposed to room temperature air. It boils because there is enough energy to let the molecules release into the air.

Dipping objects, such as carnations or balloons, into liquid nitrogen will instantly freeze them. Carnations dipped in liquid nitrogen shatter like glass. A balloon submerged in a bowl of liquid nitrogen deflates as the gas inside turns into a liquid.

Clouds of water vapor are created when hot water is poured into liquid nitrogen. It creates a super cool special effect.