======Smashing Flowers with Liquid Nitrogen======


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**Alternative titles:** Cryogenic Flowers, Shattering Flowers Demonstration
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Place a flower (such as a rose or hibiscus) in a tray or container.  
  - Wearing safety glasses and cryogenic gloves, carefully pour liquid nitrogen over the flower until it is completely cooled.  
  - Allow the flower to sit for a few moments to freeze solid.  
  - Using gloved hands or tongs, pick up the flower and squeeze it gently.  
  - Observe as the petals crumble and fall apart, showing how brittle the flower has become.  




====Links==== 
Smashing Flowers Frozen in Liquid Nitrogen - SMUPhysics: 
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Rose in liquid nitrogen - frncisscheefilms: 
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📄 Freezing a flower in liquid nitrogen - Fizzics Education: [[https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/150-science-experiments/botany-experiments/freezing-a-flower-in-liquid-nitrogen/?srsltid=AfmBOopToLZUpvsakgsKZDnI3OQpGtRGVMhLFlXpNP7O0OSo6zgLQ93r]]\\


====Variations====
  * Try different plant materials (lettuce leaves, spinach, bananas) to compare brittleness.  
  * Freeze a bouquet and break multiple flowers at once for a dramatic show effect.  
  * Compare the fresh, flexible flower with the frozen, brittle one side by side.  




====Safety Precautions====
  * Safety glasses required.  
  * Wear cryogenic gloves when handling liquid nitrogen.  
  * Use tongs for handling frozen flowers.  
  * Ensure good ventilation when using liquid nitrogen.  
  * Do not eat flowers after freezing.  
  * Be cautious of fragile petals breaking into small, sharp fragments.  





====Questions to Consider====
  * Why do flowers become brittle when frozen in liquid nitrogen?  
  * What happens to the water inside the plant cells at -196 °C?  
  * Why does the flower lose its flexibility compared to its normal state?  
  * How does this relate to the concept of cell structure and membranes?  
  * How is this principle applied in freeze-drying to preserve flowers or food?