Scienceshow/Guides/Making Clouds with Liquid Nitrogen

Purpose edit

Clouds are easy to make with Liquid Nitrogen (LN).

Status for this guide: Not yet finished

Safety edit

Safety Class edit

  • Dangerous - Please be careful when handling mixtures of boiling water and liquid nitrogen. Don't shake it and or move violently around.

(Untrained people can do this experiment under supervision and guidance)

Required Safety Equipment edit

  • The show performer: Wet towel and a bucket of water in case someone tips the kettle.
  • Audience/participants: Nothing.

Materials edit

You'll need the following

  • Liquid nitrogen
  • Two plastic glasses or some other container to handle the nitrogen in.
  • Electric kettle with boiling water
  • Transparent plastic tube

Procedure edit

  • Preparation time 5 min for the water to boil
  • Performance time 5 min
  • no clean-up time

Step by step edit

  1. Start by…

boil the water in the testtube

  1. End with explaining how to properly get rid of waste products

Alternative methods edit

Other ways to do the experiment


Dangers edit

Now the reader knows the experiment, give a closer description of possible dangers.

  • Important, be aware of…
  • Consider the…


Other Factors edit

What other things can sometimes affect the result of the experiment. Maybe the humidity or cleanliness of the glass ware is an issue.

Show notes edit

What to consider when preparing. How to make it more spectacular. What can be difficult to achieve 'on stage' that normally is easy when practising.

What other experiments are good to that have in relation to this one?

What should you beware of that can make the experiment boring?

Explanation edit

What's taking place edit

Here you can give a more quantitative and mathematical description of what happens. What fundamental laws are involved or demonstrated by this experiment etc. Remember to explain jargon/expressions from the laboratory.

In the real world edit

Do you meet things like this in daily life - give examples!

Uanswered Questions edit

Things we do not yet know and should find an answer to - maybe how it actually works etc.


More Information edit

Remember edit

This is just a guide and it can contain both errors and omissions. Always make experiments in small versions before proceeding to larger quantities where things could become dangerous. Ask around if you have any doubts before starting and do not start on a procedure you do not feel you understand and is qualified to perform.


This opensource material is from The Wiki Science Show Book in English. It is based on the template for new guides.

Direct link to this guide in English This guide in english.

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