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By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
August usually boats some of the hottest days of summer. With high temperatures, people tend to crank up air conditioners, jump in pools, and try to stay as cool as possible. On Wednesday, August 14, kids and their parents flocked to the Dover Library to see Super Cold Science, a program all about temperatures and states of matter.
Amy Cole, an educator from the Museum of Science, had her table of tricks set up, ready to teach these kids all about cooling science. Cole asked a few questions after reviewing the states of matter with her audience. Then, she launched into a series of experiments.
The experiments had her audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire program.
With a bucket full of liquid nitrogen and a few balloons, Cole asked her audience how many balloons she would be able to fit into the bucket. After surveying the room, it became clear that the consensus was that three blown-up balloons would fit into the bucket. Using tongs, she loaded the balloons into the freezing nitrogen bucket, counting aloud as she put them in. The crunches and crackles of the balloons shrinking could be heard around the room.
“She’s going to get way more than three in there,” whispered one boy to his friend.
Cole had fit at least nine balloons by the end of the experiment. Then, Cole took the flattened balloons out of the liquid nitrogen, as the audience observed them coming back to life.
When the balloons were put into the freezing liquid nitrogen, the air inside began to change its state, moving from a gas to a liquid. Because liquid molecules take up less space than gas, the balloon shrinks, only to reinflate when it is removed from the liquid nitrogen.
“I liked trying to put the thing through the hoop,” said Collette, age 7, who was picked as a volunteer for one experiment. Cole gave Collette two metal rods, one with a hoop at the end and one with a ball.
“Try to put the ball through the hoop,” Cole instructed.
Despite her best efforts, the young girl couldn’t do it. Then, Cole had Collette dip the ball into the liquid nitrogen. “Now try,” she said.
Collette effortlessly slid the ball through the hoop. This happened because the liquid nitrogen led the molecules in the ball to condense, changing the size of the ball and allowing it to slip through the hoop.
These kids are a long way from being professional scientists, but during this hour filled with experiments, they were excited about science. They learned all about what temperature can do to objects around us - not to mention how cool the changing states of matter can be.
