How Is Liquid Nitrogen Made and What Is It Made Of?

Liquid nitrogen is the same nitrogen we breathe every day, just in a different state. In the air around us, nitrogen makes up about 78%. When it’s cooled down to below –196 °C (–321 °F), it turns into a clear liquid that looks like water but is unbelievably cold.

How is it made?

1. Start with air. The air we breathe is the main source of nitrogen.

2. Purify it. Remove moisture, carbon dioxide, and dust.

3. Compress and cool. The air is compressed and gradually cooled in special equipment.

4. Separate the gases. At extremely low temperatures, oxygen, argon, and other gases condense at different points. Nitrogen becomes liquid at –196 °C (–321 °F).

That’s how we get liquid nitrogen — pure nitrogen in liquid form. It has no color, taste, or smell, but it can create amazing effects in science, medicine, and our science shows.