Because of its extremely low temperature, liquid oxygen makes substances that come into contact with it very brittle. Liquid oxygen is a strong oxidizer. Organic matter will burn rapidly and violently in liquid oxygen. Furthermore, some substances (such as coal briquettes and soot) may explode unpredictably upon ignition by a source such as a flame, spark, or even a minor impact when immersed in liquid oxygen. Petrochemical products, including asphalt, often exhibit this property. Liquid nitrogen has a lower boiling point than liquid oxygen, and containers holding liquid nitrogen will condense oxygen from the air: after most of the nitrogen evaporates from the container, the remaining liquid oxygen may react violently with organic matter. Conversely, placing liquid nitrogen or liquid air in the air enriches it with oxygen; atmospheric oxygen dissolves in it, while nitrogen evaporates preferentially.
Because of its extremely low temperature, chemicals that come into contact with liquid oxygen become more brittle. Liquid oxygen is a strong oxidizer: organic compounds will burn violently in liquid oxygen. Some chemicals, such as asphalt, are prone to explosion if exposed to liquid oxygen for extended periods.
Liquid oxygen also has applications in the medical field. For example, when someone suffers from carbon monoxide poisoning and urgently needs a large amount of oxygen, liquid oxygen cylinders can be used to deliver it. Because liquid oxygen is in a liquid state, it takes up much less space compared to the same mass of gaseous oxygen. Similarly, carrying liquid oxygen cylinders is also more suitable for deep-sea exploration.
