Most of the experiments I've seen with balloons tend to involve watching them shrink when they're dipped in nitrogen. This one had a balloon self-inflate after being filled with liquid nitrogen.
Now, I know you're all desperate to know: did I immediately go out and purchase large quantities of fruit to freeze and smash to brittle crystaline chunks with my awe-inspiring cryogenetic powers? That would be completely awesome, but the answer is no. One, no way can I get to those kinds of temperatures yet. Nitrogen freezes at -210 °C, or −346 °F, but is more commonly measured in degrees Kelvin. Yeah, no way am I there yet. Two, I'm still leery about leaving evidence around. Despite those murder mystery icicle-dagger-in-the-sauna stories, ice is really hard to melt in large quantities. It took me FOREVER to get rid of the ice fist I made around my hand, even alternating boiling hot water and a screwdriver to chip it off. It was fun to punch things with my indestructable fist for all of fifteen minutes, and then I realized that my hand was completely useless for doing anything else. Like, say, zipping my jacket. Opening doors. Typing. Scratching my nose. Picking things up. Walking around inconspicuously. I had been punching things in the privacy of a scrubby little patch of woods behind my dorm, but then I had to sneak back in with my fist wrapped in my jacket to defrost it in private, and also compete with Dani for the bathroom. I seriously need to set up some sort of secret headquarters where I don't have to worry about damaging the carpeting, or sneaking around, or having to scramble for a way to defrost myself and the immediate surroundings.
Now, I know you're all desperate to know: did I immediately go out and purchase large quantities of fruit to freeze and smash to brittle crystaline chunks with my awe-inspiring cryogenetic powers? That would be completely awesome, but the answer is no. One, no way can I get to those kinds of temperatures yet. Nitrogen freezes at -210 °C, or −346 °F, but is more commonly measured in degrees Kelvin. Yeah, no way am I there yet. Two, I'm still leery about leaving evidence around. Despite those murder mystery icicle-dagger-in-the-sauna stories, ice is really hard to melt in large quantities. It took me FOREVER to get rid of the ice fist I made around my hand, even alternating boiling hot water and a screwdriver to chip it off. It was fun to punch things with my indestructable fist for all of fifteen minutes, and then I realized that my hand was completely useless for doing anything else. Like, say, zipping my jacket. Opening doors. Typing. Scratching my nose. Picking things up. Walking around inconspicuously. I had been punching things in the privacy of a scrubby little patch of woods behind my dorm, but then I had to sneak back in with my fist wrapped in my jacket to defrost it in private, and also compete with Dani for the bathroom. I seriously need to set up some sort of secret headquarters where I don't have to worry about damaging the carpeting, or sneaking around, or having to scramble for a way to defrost myself and the immediate surroundings.
Didn't go the blowdryer route?
ReplyDeleteI tried EVERYTHING. Microwaving stuff to pour over my hand, sticking my hand in the toaster (don't try this at home, kids! you wind up electrocuting yourself!) and using the blowdryer. The problem with using electrical appliances to melt ice is that 1) they're not waterproof and 2) they're loud. Seriously, my roommate WILL notice 25 consecutive microwave dings followed by a marathon blowdryer session. Besides, the blowdryer is a crappy piece of crap and I'm afraid it will burst into fire in my hands at any moment. I try to restrict blowdryer use to stuff like the carpet, where there is absolutely no other way to dry it.
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