The Leidenfrost effect can be demonstrated with liquid nitrogen.
The Leidenfrost effect is a physical phenomenon that occurs when a liquid is exposed to an extremely hot substance. The liquid in immediate contact with the heat evaporates and the vapor creates an insulating layer that reduces the rate of evaporation and boiling, allowing the remaining liquid to float. A classic example can be seen in the kitchen, where a cook might drop drops of water into a pan to test the temperature. If the pan is hot enough, the water droplets will appear to creep across the bottom of the pan in a layer of steam, rather than immediately evaporating with the heat.
The Leidenfrost effect is a source of interest and entertainment in a laboratory setting.
This effect is named after Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost, who described the phenomenon in the 18th century. Researchers in the 1800s followed his work and confirmed the findings. In the laboratory, the Leidenfrost effect is sometimes used for laboratory demonstrations and pranks; a potentially dangerous display involves dipping wet fingers into a bath of molten lead. The water on the fingers vaporizes and isolates them long enough to allow the experimenter to remove them again.
The physics behind the Leidenfrost effect is relatively straightforward. When liquid heats up rapidly as a result of contact with something extremely hot, it forms a vapor layer. Steam doesn’t conduct heat very well, so it acts as a barrier between the heat of the pan and the remaining liquid. Droplets may appear to slide across the surface as the vapor travels. Eventually, it disappears, just like the rest of the water.
As well as being a topic of interest and entertainment in the laboratory, the Leidenfrost effect also has some practical applications. The researchers have shown, for example, that this effect could be used for cooling mechanisms. Water droplets can be induced to move up a very hot grid with the help of the Leidenfrost effect, and this can drive a cooling system to help reduce temperatures in an extremely hot system.
One consequence of the Leidenfrost effect is that water and other liquids can take longer to boil if conditions are very hot. Other demonstrations of the Leidenfrost effect involve playing with liquid nitrogen and other potentially dangerous materials. It is important that people observe proper safety precautions in these demonstrations because there is a narrow margin for error. Dipping fingers in molten lead, for example, can cause severe burns if left there for too long.