Rose Frozen in Liquid Nitrogen Shatters

Have you ever wanted to break something that was frozen in liquid nitrogen? In this educational video, Museum Educator Jeannine does just that with a rose. First, she explains how at room temperature, the rose is soft and pliable, but its structure is full of water. This is why, when immersed in -320 degrees Fahrenheit liquid nitrogen, it will freeze. The rose loses heat to the liquid nitrogen, causing it to boil, and when the boiling stops the rose is completely frozen at the same temperature as the liquid nitrogen. In this state, it is so brittle that it will easily shatter!