Liquid Nitrogen Cannon

The liquid nitrogen cannon demonstrates accelerated motion and the conservation of momentum using a two-liter soda bottle and a cork. In this demonstration, a small amount of liquid nitrogen is poured into the soda bottle, and a cork is tightly placed in the opening. As the liquid nitrogen rapidly evaporates into nitrogen gas, the pressure inside the sealed bottle increases significantly. When the pressure becomes too great, the cork is forcibly ejected, propelling the bottle in the opposite direction. This is a clear example of Newton’s third law of motion — for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. To conserve momentum, the cork, having significantly less mass, moves away much faster than the heavier soda bottle. The sudden expulsion of gas and the cork pushes the bottle in the opposite direction, illustrating the conservation of momentum. As the cork is launched, the bottle accelerates in the opposite direction, providing a powerful demonstration of how the buildup and release of gas pressure can result in accelerated motion.