We know you can freeze liquids or foods, but can you do the same with electricity? After all, this is an invisible set of phenomena, it is impossible to collect it in a container and put it in a refrigerator.
The author of the experiment on freezing electricity at the beginning of the video demonstrates the so-called "twist" - an electrophoretic machine that many have seen at school. Its work lies in the fact that the discs begin to spin up, and a charge of electricity is formed between the electrodes. In his experiment with nitrogen and ice, the author uses a small generator that can be turned upside down.
Freezing in liquid nitrogen
Chemist blogger James Orgill conducts various experiments and demonstrates them on his channel. The experiment with electricity is demonstrated for cognitive purposes, you cannot conduct it yourself, it can be dangerous. The tester just really wanted to demonstrate what he did, and was able to prove that it is real to freeze electricity.
Will the sparks freeze in liquid nitrogen and water.
For freezing, liquid nitrogen was used, known for its properties to strongly cool and freeze. The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -195 degrees. It was also used for demonstration in various films, where the main characters were frozen for many years.
It is interesting to observe how electricity behaves in a cold environment. To do this, the blogger fills a glass with liquid nitrogen and lowers two electrodes into the container. As a result, some sparks were generated under the surface of the liquid. The boiling point of a substance such as liquid nitrogen is very low. The heat generated by the sparks of the electrodes is enough for the nitrogen to boil and turn into a gaseous state. From such a reaction, bubbles subsequently begin to appear. Gas evaporation is reduced depending on the position of the tips.
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Liquid nitrogen did an excellent job.
Freezing electricity in water
The ice experiment shown in the video is very similar to something magical. After testing with liquid nitrogen, James decided to do the same with regular ice. He wanted to test whether a spark could be transmitted from one electrode to another if they were frozen in ice. The fact that sparks appear in liquid nitrogen, we already know from the above experience.
Water conducts electricity very well, with the exception of the distillate. But in the form of ice, water does not do a very good job of a conductor. But if, before freezing, the electrodes are immersed in liquid nitrogen for a short time, and then immediately into water, a so-called ice bridge with sparks is formed. Such an interesting and surprising result can only be obtained at low temperatures. If the ice is heated even a little, without even melting it a little bit, it instantly ceases to conduct current.
Natalia Kotoman