We assemble a laughing gas generator at home. Laughing gas - what is it? Definition, formula and effect Laughing gas physical properties

Nitrogen(I) oxynitride (dinitrogen oxide, nitrous oxide, laughing gas) is a compound with the chemical formula N2O. At normal temperature, it is a colorless, non-flammable gas with a pleasant sweet smell and taste. Sometimes called "laughing gas" because of its intoxicating effect.

Nitrous oxide It has a weak narcotic activity, and therefore it must be used in high concentrations.

Also nitrous oxide sometimes used to improve the performance of internal combustion engines. In the case of automotive applications, a nitrous oxide containing agent and fuel are injected into the engine's intake (suction) manifold, resulting in the following results:

lowers the temperature of the intake air into the engine, providing a dense incoming charge of the mixture.
increases the oxygen content in the incoming charge (air contains only ~21 wt.% oxygen).
increases the speed (intensity) of combustion in the engine cylinders.

How to get laughing gas at home?

Nitrous oxide does not cause respiratory irritation. Being, in the process of inhalation, dissolved in blood plasma, it practically does not change and is not metabolized, it does not bind to hemoglobin. After cessation of inhalation, it is excreted (within 10-15 minutes) through the respiratory tract unchanged.

If you still try to get nitrous oxide at home or buy it, then remember that inhaling N 2 O alone leads to respiratory arrest. Without knowing chemistry at 5+ you can get NO- a strong poison that affects the central nervous system, and also causes blood damage due to the binding of hemoglobin. Relatively high toxicity (at concentrations above 0.05 mg / l) is also possessed by nitric oxide NO 2

Release form

In metal cylinders with a capacity of 10 liters under a pressure of 50 atm in a condensed (liquid) state. The cylinders are painted gray and have the inscription "For medical use".

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Nitrous oxide is a substance that is obtained by gradually heating ammonium nitrate. This procedure is reproduced with a high degree of accuracy and caution. If the safety precautions are not observed, the component can cause a violent explosion. A safer way to obtain "laughing" gas is considered to be a compound in certain proportions and sulfamic acid. The mixture is also heated, resulting in a gaseous substance.

Laughing gas is colorless and has a slightly sweet smell. Traditionally, it is used in the industrial sector. In the first case, nitrous oxide is a common anesthesia. In the second variant, the gas is used in the food or technical field. Every person holds this substance in their hands almost daily. It is used to make cans of whipped cream, creams, and some types of cosmetic products.

In the technical field, laughing gas is present as a component for fuel. It is thanks to him that power increases and flights into rockets are carried out.

Properties of "laughing gas"

The properties of nitrous oxide when inhaled do not have a very "cheerful" effect on the human body. The minimum dosage of this substance primarily affects the functioning of the brain. The general condition at the same time resembles a light one. A person begins to laugh and receives a charge of vivacity and positive energy. Too much nitrous oxide inhalation has the opposite effect. There is drowsiness, impaired coordination of movements and a violation of speech is noticed.

"Laughing" gas does not have a negative effect on the body, it is not at all addictive and is not considered a prohibited drug. However, such characteristics should not be taken too irresponsibly. In this case, we are talking only about the minimum dosages. If you abuse laughing gas, it is likely that you will inadvertently introduce yourself into a state of anesthesia with your own. There can be no talk of any harmless and even more positive effect on health in this case.

The use of "laughing" gas

"Laughing" gas is popular among today's youth. They inflate balloons, and then inhale nitrous oxide in small portions, thanks to which a funny voice appears that amuses not only its owner, but also everyone around. This effect is short-term and completely disappears after 10-15 minutes.

Note that nitrous oxide comes in several forms. The food variety is called “laughing” gas, and technical forms should never be inhaled. Sometimes nitrous oxide can be found on sale in the form of small cans.

Nitrous oxide, or the chemical compound N2O, became popular and world-famous thanks to "street racer" movies. They use this colorless, non-flammable gas with a pleasant sweetish smell and taste to accelerate sharply before the finish line and guarantee victory. Unfortunately, the films do not specify that the same gas can be very dangerous.

You will need

- dry ammonium nitrate (or sulfamic acid and 73% nitric acid);
- laboratory devices for conducting chemical experiments;
- electric heating device with adjustable temperature.

Instruction

The most common way to produce N2O is thermal dry. Under the conditions of dinitrogen oxide can be obtained by dry ammonium nitrate with an electric heating device. Ammonium nitrate is the same ammonium nitrate used to make explosives. In this regard, the heating temperature should not exceed 270 degrees Celsius, otherwise during the chemical reaction

1.223 g/cm³ Thermal Properties Melting temperature -90.86°C Boiling temperature -88.48°C Classification Reg. CAS number 10024-97-2

Nitrogen(I) oxonitride (dinitrogen oxide, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, laughing gas) is a compound with the chemical formula 2. Sometimes called "laughing gas" because of the intoxicating effect it produces. At normal temperatures, it is a colorless, non-flammable gas with a pleasant sweetish odor and taste.

Receipt

Nitrous oxide is produced by heating dry ammonium nitrate. Decomposition starts at 170 °C and is accompanied by heat release. Therefore, in order to prevent it from flowing too violently, heating should be stopped in time, since at temperatures above 300 ° C, ammonium nitrate decomposes with an explosion:

A more convenient way is to heat sulfamic acid with 73% nitric acid:

In the chemical industry, nitrous oxide is a by-product and catalytic converters are used to destroy it, since isolation as a commercial product is usually not economically feasible.

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Physical Properties

Nitrous oxide, intended for medical use (highly purified from impurities), does not cause irritation of the respiratory tract. Being, in the process of inhalation, dissolved in blood plasma, it practically does not change and is not metabolized, it does not bind to hemoglobin. After cessation of inhalation, it is excreted (within 10-15 minutes) through the respiratory tract unchanged. The half-life is 5 minutes.

Anesthesia with the use of nitrous oxide is used in surgical practice, operative gynecology, surgical dentistry, as well as for labor pain relief. "Therapeutic analgesic anesthesia" (B.V. Petrovsky, S.N. Efuni) using a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is sometimes used in the postoperative period to prevent traumatic shock, as well as to relieve pain attacks in acute coronary insufficiency, myocardial infarction, acute pancreatitis and other pathological conditions, accompanied by pain that is not relieved by conventional means.

Apply nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen using special devices for gas anesthesia. Usually start with a mixture containing 70-80% nitrous oxide and 30-20% oxygen, then increase the amount of oxygen to 40-50%. If it is not possible to obtain the required depth of anesthesia, at a concentration of nitrous oxide of 70-75%, more powerful drugs are added: halothane, diethyl ether, barbiturates.

For a more complete relaxation of the muscles, muscle relaxants are used, while not only muscle relaxation increases, but the course of anesthesia also improves.

After stopping the supply of nitrous oxide, oxygen should be continued for 4-5 minutes to avoid hypoxia.

It is necessary to use nitrous oxide, as well as any agent for anesthesia, with caution, especially with severe hypoxia and impaired gas diffusion in the lungs.

To anesthetize childbirth, the method of intermittent autoanalgesia is used using, with the help of special anesthesia machines, a mixture of nitrous oxide (40-75%) and oxygen. The woman in labor begins to inhale the mixture when the harbingers of the contraction appear and ends the inhalation at the height of the contraction or at its end.

To reduce emotional arousal, prevent nausea and vomiting and potentiate the action of nitrous oxide, premedication is possible by intramuscular administration of a 0.5% solution of diazepam (seduxen, sibazon) in an amount of 1-2 ml (5-10 mg), 2-3 ml 0, 25% droperidol solution (5.0-7.5 mg).

Therapeutic anesthesia with nitrous oxide (with angina pectoris and myocardial infarction) is contraindicated in severe diseases of the nervous system, chronic alcoholism, alcohol intoxication (excitation, hallucinations are possible).

Release form: in metal cylinders with a capacity of 10 liters under a pressure of 50 atm in a liquefied state. The cylinders are painted gray and have the inscription "For medical use".

In internal combustion engines

Nitrous oxide is sometimes used to improve the performance of internal combustion engines. In the case of automotive applications, a nitrous oxide containing agent and fuel are injected into the engine's intake (suction) manifold, resulting in the following results:

lowers the temperature of the intake air into the engine, providing a dense incoming charge of the mixture.
increases the oxygen content in the incoming charge (air contains only ~21 wt.% oxygen).
increases the speed (intensity) of combustion in the engine cylinders.

In the food industry

In the food industry, the compound is registered as a food additive. E942, as propellant and packaging gas.

Storage

Storage: at room temperature, indoors, away from fire.

Literature

Mashkovsky M. D. Nitrous oxide// Medicines. - Reference Mashkovsky on-line.

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nitrogen oxides
Nitric oxide (I) (N 2 O)
Nitric oxide (III) (N 2 O 3)

What is laughing gas? What are its properties? In what areas is the substance used? Why are laughing gas balloons so popular? What is the danger of absorption of the substance? We would like to talk about all this in our publication.

Laughing gas formula

The substance is called dinitrogen oxide, and also nitrous oxide. Such a compound is known as N 2 O. In anesthesiology and narcology, the substance is defined as laughing gas. This is due to the intoxicating effect that the gas has on the human body.

History reference

Laughing gas is a substance also known as nitrous oxide. The discovery is the achievement of an American scientist named. Thanks to a chemical reaction, this person obtained a volatile substance heavier than air. The researcher noted that laughing gas is a compound that has a sweetish taste and unexpressed aroma.

When conducting experiments, Priestley acted on copper with nitric acid. Initially, the scientist was able to isolate nitric oxide (NO). Subsequently, the scientist received a pure laughing gas, the formula of which is N 2 O.

For a long time, laughing gas was used exclusively for recreational purposes. So, in 1844, itinerant artist Gardner Colton began to organize mass shows. During such events, a volunteer was called to the stage. Having inhaled laughing gas, a person began to have uncontrollable fun, dance and bounce. Once one of the "experimental" stumbled and was injured. However, he felt no pain at all. The dentist Horace Wells drew attention to this property. The latter bought a whole cylinder of gas from Colton and began to use the substance as anesthesia when extracting teeth from his own patients.

Subsequently, the practice of using the substance for medical purposes did not find approval. Horace Wells' addiction to chloroform is to blame, which discredited him as a doctor. The experiences of this man were forgotten for many years. A few decades later, interest in laughing gas was revived again by the same Gardner Colton, who began to offer nitrous oxide to dentists for use as an effective anesthesia.

origin of name

Why is the substance called laughing gas? This definition arose thanks to the experiments of the British chemist Humphry Davy. In his youth, this man retrained from a pharmacy worker to a surgical assistant. Once his gum ached, after which the researcher decided to become a test subject in his own experiment. Davy experienced the effects of nitrous oxide. As soon as he inhaled the substance, the discomfort immediately receded. Some time passed and the pain returned. The young chemist repeated the experiment. After a slight sensation of intoxication, Humphrey was faced with a fit of inexplicable, uncontrollable laughter. The effect was observed for several minutes.

One day, a chemist accidentally broke a flask of nitrous oxide in a laboratory. The employees in the room immediately began to laugh. The fun went on for quite some time. Humphrey finally understood that the reason lies in the specific effect of the substance on the nervous system. It was then that the first record was made, in which nitrous oxide was called laughing gas.

Applications

Laughing gas is a substance that has been used in the field of anesthesiology for many decades. The substance is used during operations, as well as in dentistry. Laughing gas oxide has become widespread in gynecology.

When combined in optimal proportions with oxygen, the substance has an analgesic effect on the human body and eliminates nervous tension. Such properties become useful in the treatment of diseases by surgery, in the case of prosthetics or tooth extraction, during labor.

Initially, when doctors did not fully understand that it was laughing gas, the substance was used without combining it with oxygen. The undiluted substance was suggested to be inhaled by patients for several minutes, which often led to breath holding and death. Such cases necessitated the development of a special unit that created a safe oxide of laughing gas and oxygen. The correct use of the substance showed no harm to well-being. Nitrogen (laughing gas) was quickly eliminated from the body and allowed a person to return to an adequate perception of things.

Today, the substance is freely available. Often sellers do not note that laughing gas is a rather dangerous substance that can only be used in limited doses. Thus, a new direction of substance abuse was formed.

Can laughing gas serve as a substitute for alcohol and tobacco?

There is an opinion that laughing gas is an extremely dangerous substance. To understand whether this is so, it is enough to compare the substance with the same alcohol. For example, laughing gas never causes a hangover. If you approach the use of the substance wisely, there is no addictive effect.

Using balloons with laughing gas, many heavy smokers manage to get rid of cravings for tobacco products in a short time. In this case, absolutely no harm is done to the internal organs. Moreover, when using the substance in the right proportions, there is no risk for the development of various diseases.

Some experts argue that laughing gas should not be consumed in combination with alcohol. After all, such behavior is fraught with significant harm to health. Indeed, inhaling a substance on a drunken head is not worth it. After all, a person under the influence of alcohol often does not know the measure. In addition, in a state of intoxication, hypoxia is not so acutely felt. Therefore, the risk of an overdose of laughing gas increases.

Laughing gas action

How does the substance act on the body? It is immediately worth noting that laughing gas does not form bonds with blood hemoglobin. When inhaled, the substance dissolves into the plasma without exposing the cells and bodily fluids to changes. As you consume, a person feels a slight intoxication. At the end of the action, the substance is completely eliminated from the body through the respiratory tract. Sobriety of consciousness occurs in 10-15 minutes.

When drinking alcohol, a person will have a tendency to commit rash acts, some aggression. In the case of laughing gas, which is diluted with oxygen in optimal proportions, full adequacy is maintained. The person only feels a certain relaxation.

The effect of laughing gas is not only to lift the mood and eliminate the feeling of anxiety. The substance also dulls pain and causes euphoria. However, the use of the substance in unlimited quantities has some negative consequences, which will be discussed later in our material.

What mixture is considered harmless?

The researchers found that the use of a mixture in which there is 80% food nitrous oxide and 20% oxygen does not represent negative consequences for the body. This proportion is considered the safest. It is the use of such a compound that does not cause asphyxia and poisoning.

Is laughing gas banned?

At the moment, the substance does not belong to prohibited products and remains on free sale. However, toxicologists and experts in the field of combating drug addiction note that the distribution of laughing gas must be banned. Nitrous oxide has recently been classified as a psychotropic substance with a strong effect and danger to health.

Currently, the leadership among the segments of the population who have become addicted to laughing gas is occupied by young people aged 16-25 years. Often, addiction occurs in people who regularly attend closed parties in clubs where they use laughing gas cylinders. Against this background, mass substance abuse develops. This poses a threat, since it is difficult for young people to refuse the next dose of the substance.

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a substance popular among young people, which some consider a harmless means of entertainment, others consider it a dangerous drug. In high concentrations and if inhaled for a long time, it can cause serious harm to human health.

What is nitrous oxide

Nitrogen hemoxide, better known as laughing gas, was first developed by Joseph Priestley in the early 1770s.

The substance is colorless, has a subtle aroma and a sweetish aftertaste, can dissolve in water, and under certain conditions, turn into a liquid state.

A small amount of gas produces the effect of intoxication and slight drowsiness. If you inhale it in its pure form, then suffocation may develop, but if the prescribed dosage is observed and mixed with oxygen, it is used as an anesthetic and does not give a side effect. Once in the body, it remains unchanged, it does not form bonds with hemoglobin. As soon as the gas supply is stopped, it is completely eliminated through the respiratory tract within 15 minutes.

The use of the substance in various fields

There are three types of nitric oxide:

Technical - used in automotive production and welding.
Medical - widely used as an anesthetic.
Food - is one of the important components in the manufacture of porous chocolate and confectionery products.

A technical nitrogen compound is introduced into the engine mechanism of a car, namely into the intake manifold to improve its performance. Under its influence, the engine power increases for a while.

For medical purposes, the substance is used for anesthesia and anesthesia during surgery and during childbirth. In addition, the use of gas is allowed to prevent shock conditions in case of injuries, to increase the analgesic effect of other drugs, as well as to eliminate pain in case of a heart attack and pancreatitis. Nitrous oxide is produced in liquid form in cylinders of 10 liters.

In the food industry, this component is known as additive E-942. Used as a propellant in aerosol products.

Use of nitrous oxide as a drug

The abolition of the mandatory presentation of a prescription for the purchase of combined medicines, which include codeine, took place in Russia in June 2012. Since that time, the drug has been freely available, so it is actively used by drug addicts.

The use of nitrous oxide balloons quickly leads to narcotic euphoria, which is why the substance has become so widespread among young people and has become an integral part of many parties and nightly entertainment.

Why is gas called "laughing"

When exposed to the human body, nitrogen hemioxide causes a strong feeling of excitement, turning into euphoria, so it was called "laughing gas". The authorship of the name belongs to the Englishman Davy Humphrey, who studied chemical reactions and during the experiment personally experienced the effect of gas on the body.

He found that when it is inhaled in a small dose, a person's motor activity increases, an unreasonable desire to laugh arises, and behavior becomes inadequate.

The effect of gas on the human body - is it possible to breathe nitric oxide

Nitrous oxide causes little or no harm to health when used for medical purposes if the recommended dosing regimen is followed. Narcotic gas used at a concentration of less than 80% does not pose a danger to humans.

If the substance is used during childbirth, then it is necessary to minimize the period of its inhalation by a woman, since prolonged use in this case can harm the newborn and reduce its Apgar scores.

The negative effect of this compound on the bone marrow with prolonged exposure has been proven. If you breathe it for 2-4 days, then there is an inhibition of the functions of bone marrow tissues.

Also, nitric oxide sometimes causes some side effects, which are expressed in the appearance of symptoms of bradycardia or supraventricular arrhythmia when the patient is introduced into a state of anesthesia. When a person comes out of anesthesia, phenomena such as nausea, anxiety, confusion, drowsiness, and even hallucinations can occur.

Symptoms of laughing gas poisoning

Signs of the toxic effect of nitrous oxide on the human body are divided into two types. The first includes manifestations that occur with short-term use of laughing gas:

Intermittent amnesia. A person does not remember what happened to him for some time, but then the memory returns.
Unreasonable laughter. One of the main parameters indicating nitric oxide poisoning is unreasonable fun, very strong and incessant laughter.
Attacks of headache and dizziness that come and go suddenly.
Multiple episodes of loss of consciousness.

Frequent and prolonged use of gas can lead to more serious poisoning, in this case, the following are possible:

emotional instability, which is expressed in a constant change of mood;
violation of mental activity, lack of logic in words and actions;
unsteady gait and incoherent speech;
hearing loss, impaired visual perception;
atrophy of brain structures.

First aid and treatment for intoxication

There is no specific antidote for nitrous oxide, so all that a person who is nearby at the time of poisoning can do is to take elementary first aid measures:

Provide fresh air to the room. If possible, it is better to move the victim from the building to the street.
Position the person so that their body is at rest.
Remove outer clothing from the poisoned person and create conditions for the free flow of air into the respiratory tract.

Further actions can only be provided by an ambulance team, which must be called as soon as it became known about intoxication. Medics transport the victim to the hospital and take emergency measures to save him.

Consequences of drug use

Using the mixture in order to feel the narcotic effect, a person exposes himself to great danger. The components that make up its composition, with prolonged exposure, can lead to the death of brain cells. The consequences of the use of this nitrogenous compound can be very severe: first, memory deteriorates, then progressive personality changes occur. Along with the brain, the bone marrow structure is also destroyed. With the constant use of nitrous oxide, there is a risk of developing leukemia and disorders of the hematopoietic process.

In addition, psychiatric disorders are observed in people who abuse this substance. There are attacks of fear of death, hallucinations, obsessive thoughts, periodic sensations of approaching danger. There may be a tendency to suicide against the background of a depressive state provoked by this compound. Among the consequences of the use of laughing gas, there is often a violation of coordination of movements.

The biggest threat is the mixture in its pure form. Its inhalation can be fatal.

The influence of this compound is especially detrimental to the developing fetus in the womb. If she breathes nitrogen, this can lead to fetal hypoxia and the development of various congenital anomalies in the child.