Chemistry of Gases and Applications

Carbon dioxide CO2

Carbon dioxide CO2

Oxygen supports combustion, so a glowing splint will reignite in its presence.

Hydrogen gas reacts explosively with oxygen in the air when ignited, producing a characteristic squeaky pop sound.

Carbon dioxide reacts with calcium hydroxide (limewater) to form calcium carbonate, which is an insoluble white solid that makes the solution look milky.

Chlorine gas acts as an oxidizing agent and bleaches damp litmus paper, turning it white.

Ammonia is an alkaline gas, so it will turn damp red litmus paper blue.

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques often involve injecting fluids like water, steam, or carbon dioxide into reservoirs to increase pressure and push oil toward production wells.

CNG stands for Compressed Natural Gas. It is a cleaner-burning alternative to traditional gasoline and diesel fuels.

Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless noble gas that occurs naturally as a decay product of uranium in rocks and soil.

Animals perform cellular respiration, which requires oxygen to break down nutrients and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. These are the two primary gases exchanged during breathing.

The atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen gas, which exists as a diatomic molecule with the formula N2.

Mercaptan is a sulfur-containing compound added to natural gas because it has a distinct, unpleasant odor that allows leaks to be detected easily. Natural gas itself is odorless and colorless.

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas (78 percent), followed by oxygen, which makes up approximately 21 percent of the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is normally a non-polluting gas and is required for the normal process of photosynthesis by green plants. However, higher atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide due to the high rate of emission from the vehicle and deforestation leads to heating of earth and global warming.