Research Paper On Liquid Carnation
Liquid Nitrogen
Randi Pinter
Community College of Aurora
Rebecca Hoenigman
Chem 101-360 Sitting in a classroom with a guest speaker, wondering what was in the tank and why there were carnations nearby. As a young student, guest speaker days were an exciting thing to be a part of. The full history of the lesson may have been lost in time; but when the speaker dipped a carnation in a tub of liquid that was pouring smoke onto the classroom floor, the results of his actions had the power to make a vivid memory. He handed each student a dipped carnation, telling them to crush it in their hands. It was cold enough that the palms of the children’s hands felt the bite of frost for a second, while the carnation all but shattered in their small …show more content…
hands. Liquid Nitrogen was the culprit that could turn a once normal flower into an object of live glass. Ever since this day, I have had a fascination with Liquid Nitrogen. Never having taken the time to explore this phenomenon, I felt that this paper would be the perfect opportunity to broaden my knowledge. This day in history is why I have chosen to write and learn about this element in its liquid form.
Nitrogen is a non-metal element, most commonly found in gas form, it can be commercially produced into a liquid. The chemical formula is also identical to nitrogen gas, N2. It is commonly abbreviated as LN2, just as with gaseous Nitrogen, it is two nitrogen atoms sharing covalent bonds. You can see a visual in Figure 1, the Lewis Structure of N2. The molar mass of this form of Nitrogen is 28.02 grams per mole.
Although, colorless and without an odor, this liquid is easily discernable by the vapor it releases and the quick freezing of any object lowered into it. The smoke-like vapor is produced because N2 is actually boiling at room temperature. It makes the air around it cooler and the water particles nearby condense, causing this fog. It must be handled with care; this liquid is cold enough to cause freezer burns to human flesh.
Nitrogen is a large portion of the air we breathe; however, in its liquid state, it cannot occur naturally; it needs to be cooled to such cold temperatures for it to condense and become liquid, there is not a cold enough place on Earth for this to occur (Air Products and Chemicals).
It is commercially produced and used for many things. In science, it is often used for freezing biological samples such as eggs or sperm and for cryotherapy treatments. It can also be used to keep food cold, and to cool pipes or other items very quickly. Additionally, it is commonly used recreationally, for the fog it produces or for science experiments; freezing flowers or making ice cream quickly (Liquid Nitrogen …show more content…
Facts).
This interesting liquid is not without its dangers.
Due to its unusual properties and the results it has on objects, many people have begun using it for many different reasons. In some cases, chefs and bartenders, or molecular gastronomists, will use it to create new dishes and more enjoyable ways of eating or drinking. Time Magazine wrote a story of a young partier who ingested liquid nitrogen in a cocktail (Waxman). This liquid element should be handled properly to avoid situations such as emergency gastrectomy. Another example of the uses for Liquid Nitrogen, was the potential for its ability to help combat the pollution problems in China. Scientist experimented with the possibility of pumping the liquid element into the sky to crystalize the smog particles. The dangers this may cause, because of the freezing properties of nitrogen, may be too much risk for the population (Stout).
Liquid Nitrogen is a very interesting liquid. Although it must be made commercially, it has many uses. It has been a breakthrough for science and a fun experiment for people of all ages. However, if not handled properly, this produced form of a prominent element, can cause severe damage to those experimenting with
it. References
Blaszczak-Boxe, Agata. (2014). Facts About Nitrogen. Live Science. Web Accessed. 16 Sept. 2016. http://www.livescience.com/28726-nitrogen.html
Liquid Nitrogen Facts. About, Inc. Web Accessed 16 Sept. 2016 http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ht/n2icecream.htm Liquid Nitrogen. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2015. Web Accessed 16 Sept. 2016 http://www.airproducts.com/~/media/files/pdf/company/safetygram-7.pdf
Stout, David. (2013). China’s Desperate Smog Fix: Pumping the Skies with Liquid Nitrogen. Time, Inc. Web Accessed. 16 Sept 2016. http://world.time.com/2013/12/19/china-smog-may-clear-with-liquid-nitrogen/
Waxman, Olivia B. (2012). Why Liquid Nitrogen is Dangerous. Time, Inc. Web Accessed. 16 Sept. 2016. http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/10/why-liquid-nitrogen-is-dangerous/
Randi Pinter
Community College of Aurora
Rebecca Hoenigman
Chem 101-360 Sitting in a classroom with a guest speaker, wondering what was in the tank and why there were carnations nearby. As a young student, guest speaker days were an exciting thing to be a part of. The full history of the lesson may have been lost in time; but when the speaker dipped a carnation in a tub of liquid that was pouring smoke onto the classroom floor, the results of his actions had the power to make a vivid memory. He handed each student a dipped carnation, telling them to crush it in their hands. It was cold enough that the palms of the children’s hands felt the bite of frost for a second, while the carnation all but shattered in their small …show more content…
hands. Liquid Nitrogen was the culprit that could turn a once normal flower into an object of live glass. Ever since this day, I have had a fascination with Liquid Nitrogen. Never having taken the time to explore this phenomenon, I felt that this paper would be the perfect opportunity to broaden my knowledge. This day in history is why I have chosen to write and learn about this element in its liquid form.
Nitrogen is a non-metal element, most commonly found in gas form, it can be commercially produced into a liquid. The chemical formula is also identical to nitrogen gas, N2. It is commonly abbreviated as LN2, just as with gaseous Nitrogen, it is two nitrogen atoms sharing covalent bonds. You can see a visual in Figure 1, the Lewis Structure of N2. The molar mass of this form of Nitrogen is 28.02 grams per mole.
Although, colorless and without an odor, this liquid is easily discernable by the vapor it releases and the quick freezing of any object lowered into it. The smoke-like vapor is produced because N2 is actually boiling at room temperature. It makes the air around it cooler and the water particles nearby condense, causing this fog. It must be handled with care; this liquid is cold enough to cause freezer burns to human flesh.
Nitrogen is a large portion of the air we breathe; however, in its liquid state, it cannot occur naturally; it needs to be cooled to such cold temperatures for it to condense and become liquid, there is not a cold enough place on Earth for this to occur (Air Products and Chemicals).
It is commercially produced and used for many things. In science, it is often used for freezing biological samples such as eggs or sperm and for cryotherapy treatments. It can also be used to keep food cold, and to cool pipes or other items very quickly. Additionally, it is commonly used recreationally, for the fog it produces or for science experiments; freezing flowers or making ice cream quickly (Liquid Nitrogen …show more content…
Facts).
This interesting liquid is not without its dangers.
Due to its unusual properties and the results it has on objects, many people have begun using it for many different reasons. In some cases, chefs and bartenders, or molecular gastronomists, will use it to create new dishes and more enjoyable ways of eating or drinking. Time Magazine wrote a story of a young partier who ingested liquid nitrogen in a cocktail (Waxman). This liquid element should be handled properly to avoid situations such as emergency gastrectomy. Another example of the uses for Liquid Nitrogen, was the potential for its ability to help combat the pollution problems in China. Scientist experimented with the possibility of pumping the liquid element into the sky to crystalize the smog particles. The dangers this may cause, because of the freezing properties of nitrogen, may be too much risk for the population (Stout).
Liquid Nitrogen is a very interesting liquid. Although it must be made commercially, it has many uses. It has been a breakthrough for science and a fun experiment for people of all ages. However, if not handled properly, this produced form of a prominent element, can cause severe damage to those experimenting with
it. References
Blaszczak-Boxe, Agata. (2014). Facts About Nitrogen. Live Science. Web Accessed. 16 Sept. 2016. http://www.livescience.com/28726-nitrogen.html
Liquid Nitrogen Facts. About, Inc. Web Accessed 16 Sept. 2016 http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ht/n2icecream.htm Liquid Nitrogen. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 2015. Web Accessed 16 Sept. 2016 http://www.airproducts.com/~/media/files/pdf/company/safetygram-7.pdf
Stout, David. (2013). China’s Desperate Smog Fix: Pumping the Skies with Liquid Nitrogen. Time, Inc. Web Accessed. 16 Sept 2016. http://world.time.com/2013/12/19/china-smog-may-clear-with-liquid-nitrogen/
Waxman, Olivia B. (2012). Why Liquid Nitrogen is Dangerous. Time, Inc. Web Accessed. 16 Sept. 2016. http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/10/why-liquid-nitrogen-is-dangerous/