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liquid nitrogen

n. Nitrogen that has been cooled to the liquid state; used in cryogenics.

WordNet
liquid nitrogen

n. nitrogen in a liquid state

Wikipedia
Liquid nitrogen

Liquid nitrogen is nitrogen in a liquid state at an extremely low temperature. It is a colorless clear liquid with a density of 0.807 g/ml at its boiling point and a dielectric constant of 1.43. Nitrogen was first liquefied at the Jagiellonian University on 15 April 1883 by Polish physicists, Zygmunt Wróblewski and Karol Olszewski. It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. Liquid nitrogen is often referred to by the abbreviation, LN or "LIN" or "LN" and has the UN number 1977. Liquid nitrogen is a diatomic liquid, which means that the diatomic character of the covalent N bonding in N gas is retained after liquefaction.

Liquid nitrogen is a cryogenic fluid that can cause rapid freezing on contact with living tissue. When appropriately insulated from ambient heat, liquid nitrogen can be stored and transported, for example in vacuum flasks. The temperature is held constant at 77 K by slow boiling of the liquid, resulting in the evolution of nitrogen gas. Depending on the size and design, the holding time of vacuum flasks ( Dewars) ranges from a few hours to a few weeks. The development of pressurised super-insulated vacuum vessels has enabled liquefied nitrogen to be stored and transported over longer time periods with losses reduced to 2% per day or less.

The temperature of liquid nitrogen can readily be reduced to its freezing point by placing it in a vacuum chamber pumped by a vacuum pump. Liquid nitrogen's efficiency as a coolant is limited by the fact that it boils immediately on contact with a warmer object, enveloping the object in insulating nitrogen gas. This effect, known as the Leidenfrost effect, applies to any liquid in contact with an object significantly hotter than its boiling point. Faster cooling may be obtained by plunging an object into a slush of liquid and solid nitrogen rather than liquid nitrogen alone.

Usage examples of "liquid nitrogen".

So the Boeings each now held 5,000 liters of water ice, 3,000 liters of liquid oxygen, 3,000 liters of liquid nitrogen, 500 liters of argon, and 400 liters of carbon dioxide.

Then finally I lowered them gently into the liquid nitrogen and closed the container.

Keep the magnets shaded from the Sun and the liquid nitrogen stays cold.

Well, they hit on the idea of using liquid nitrogen to freeze the little blighters solid.

They do it by pumping the liquid nitrogen into the termite workings, where it instantly turns the occupants into termite ice-blocks.

The refrigerated truck had been loaded with twenty cylinders of liquid nitrogen, and a device like a fire-fighter's spray, as well as an insulated suit and gloves to protect Quamus from the sub-zero gas.

Pancho worried that Sis would be jostled and crumpled in her liquid nitrogen bath.

In Nevada, three billion miles from here, half a million corpses lie frozen in vaults surrounded by liquid nitrogen.

Doors had already been a problem so she pulled out the door-pack including a tank of liquid nitrogen and a punch-gun.

Lieutenant Reagan is back again, molesting Bobby Shaftoe with a stethoscope that appears to have been kept in a bath of liquid nitrogen until ready for use.

It's hull was crumpled badly along the top and one side, and there was a large tear in the exterior hull through which liquid nitrogen was boiling.

Get the infected cells, and pull a sample out every minute, slice it down, burn it with UV, freeze it in liquid nitrogen, and put it under the scope.