B Barber
Science Coordinator

Partner Primary & Secondary Schools
John Paul, Nazareth, Padua, St John's Reg. Colleges & Partner Primary

Science

Middle Years Science Program - Facts

Middle Years Science Program

 

What types of gases are there?
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There are many many gases that exist at normal room temperature. Here are a few more: Carbon dioxide CO2: This is a molecule with 1 carbon joined to 2 oxygen atoms. It is the by-product that we breathe out when we breathe in oxygen gas. It is odourless and colourless. Nitrogen gas N2: This makes up close to 78% of the air we breathe. Chlorine gas Cl2: This is highly toxic and is the smell you smell at swimming pools (but it is not a toxic levels!). Hydrogen H2: This is the smallest type of gas molecule and is very explosive. This is the gas that exploded in the Hindenberg air balloon disaster. It is odourless and colourless. Helium He: This gas is the gas that you would find in party balloons that when you breathe in raise the pitch of your voice (by changing the density of the air that the sound travels through). Oxygen O2: It is odourless and colourless. It is most essential gas for life on earth.

Other types of gases include: sulphur dioxide SO2: This can be quite dangerous. It is the pungent smell of sulphur and if breathed in can make sulphuric acid in your lungs. Not good. The components of air include:

Nitrogen gas: 78%.
Oxygen gas: 21%
Argon gas: 0.93%
Carbon dioxide: 0.033%
And much much less amounts of the gases neon, helium, methane, krypton and a number of others.