Last week, UT’s Patty Estep introduced our Girls Explore Science campers to the exciting world of chemistry! In this experiment, hot water is poured into a tub containing very cold liquid nitrogen. When they mix together they create a giant cloud of water vapor. A similar reaction can be found in our environment. For example, when hot and cold air mix, it can form severe weather like tornadoes! Watch the reaction between hot water and liquid nitrogen:
Nitrogen is the most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere. We breathe nitrogen in it’s gaseous state everyday. The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Nitrogen can also be in a liquid state. Liquid nitrogen is very cold and dangerous to touch with your bare hands. To make liquid nitrogen, air is cooled and compressed. It takes 80 liters of air to make one liter of liquid nitrogen.
Oh to be a kid again! These girls had a lot of fun!