These days, industrial activities make use of certain specialized gases which do not naturally occur in the concentrations or states required by industry. One of these is carbon dioxide, or CO2, to use the scientific abbreviation. CO2 is present in the atmosphere but only constitutes about 0.03% of the air. Even though this sounds like an unimportant proportion, it is anything but that - CO2 is one of the integral gases in the environment and the air. Anyone who operates a high pressure CO2 pump should educate themselves on this gas.
It is not possible to identify CO2 gas by eye or smell, since it has no color or odor. It is sometimes used in a solid state as "dry ice" to keep items cold. Dry ice is not, however, stable in that form and it immediately turns into gas when the container is opened. It is extremely hard to keep dry ice in a solid form.
Carbon and oxygen combine to form CO2. This takes place during normal burning, or combustion. The carbon dioxide molecule, as its name indicates, is made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.
Carbon dioxide is also formed by trees and other plants through the reverse of photosynthesis at night, in the absence of the sun. During the day, plants perform the process of photosynthesis, during which carbon dioxide is harvested from the atmosphere and converted into oxygen. At night, however, the process is reversed and the plants release CO2. The destruction of forests is a threat to the safe composition of the atmosphere because trees remove large amounts of CO2 from the air.
This means that even though carbon dioxide is present in such a small concentration in the air, it is highly important. It is also potentially lethal because it cannot be used by the human body. It is exhaled together with water vapor when you breathe out. If the air is made up entirely of CO2, it will cause death through asphyxiation instantly.
This property of CO2 is the basis of its use in CA storage (controlled atmosphere storage). In this process, the atmosphere in the storage area is almost totally composed of CO2. This prevents fresh produce from decomposing. The pathogens which cause decomposition require oxygen and cannot function in CA storage. It has been alleged, however, that the nutritional properties of the stored products are not maintained.
Another obvious use of CO2 is in soft drinks, or carbonated beverages. This is known to the public. But what is not so popularly known or advertised is that the carbonation of the drinks gives them an acidic aspect. CO2 dissolves in water to produce carbonous acid (H2CO3). This happens as the bubbles of CO2 dissolve into the drink. Even though this is a weak acid, it is still acidic. As an experiment, leave a tooth in a glass of a soft drink over night. The tooth might dissolve and disappear during that time.
Carbon dioxide can cause death by suffocation. Those who work with it should therefore be trained in the appropriate safety precautions and the nature of the gas. This is particularly important for those who make use of the high pressure pumps.
It is not possible to identify CO2 gas by eye or smell, since it has no color or odor. It is sometimes used in a solid state as "dry ice" to keep items cold. Dry ice is not, however, stable in that form and it immediately turns into gas when the container is opened. It is extremely hard to keep dry ice in a solid form.
Carbon and oxygen combine to form CO2. This takes place during normal burning, or combustion. The carbon dioxide molecule, as its name indicates, is made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.
Carbon dioxide is also formed by trees and other plants through the reverse of photosynthesis at night, in the absence of the sun. During the day, plants perform the process of photosynthesis, during which carbon dioxide is harvested from the atmosphere and converted into oxygen. At night, however, the process is reversed and the plants release CO2. The destruction of forests is a threat to the safe composition of the atmosphere because trees remove large amounts of CO2 from the air.
This means that even though carbon dioxide is present in such a small concentration in the air, it is highly important. It is also potentially lethal because it cannot be used by the human body. It is exhaled together with water vapor when you breathe out. If the air is made up entirely of CO2, it will cause death through asphyxiation instantly.
This property of CO2 is the basis of its use in CA storage (controlled atmosphere storage). In this process, the atmosphere in the storage area is almost totally composed of CO2. This prevents fresh produce from decomposing. The pathogens which cause decomposition require oxygen and cannot function in CA storage. It has been alleged, however, that the nutritional properties of the stored products are not maintained.
Another obvious use of CO2 is in soft drinks, or carbonated beverages. This is known to the public. But what is not so popularly known or advertised is that the carbonation of the drinks gives them an acidic aspect. CO2 dissolves in water to produce carbonous acid (H2CO3). This happens as the bubbles of CO2 dissolve into the drink. Even though this is a weak acid, it is still acidic. As an experiment, leave a tooth in a glass of a soft drink over night. The tooth might dissolve and disappear during that time.
Carbon dioxide can cause death by suffocation. Those who work with it should therefore be trained in the appropriate safety precautions and the nature of the gas. This is particularly important for those who make use of the high pressure pumps.
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