The information below is intended to provide a description of the demonstration, an explanation for elementary students, and further explanation for high school students. Please keep in mind that not all demonstrations are presented at each show. Some of the liquid nitrogen is poured into the copper tube. A cork is placed on the open end of the copper tube and after a few seconds the cork pops off, flying quite a distance into the air. Some of the liquid nitrogen is poured into the pyrex dish.
Water vapor flows away from the liquid nitrogen.
The water vapor looks exactly like steam, but instead of rising, the water vapor falls. The demonstrators ask the audience how they might get a large balloon into a small container. After some discussion, a large balloon is placed in the liquid nitrogen and more liquid nitrogen is poured over the balloon. These objects will be allowed to sit in the liquid nitrogen for several minutes. The once-flimsy piece of rubber is now very rigid and is stabbed into the piece of styrofoam.