• Question: Do your experiments use alot of gas ?

    Asked by Sunshine to Cat?, Elaine, Helena, Iain, Gabriel on 16 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Helena Quilter

      Helena Quilter answered on 16 Mar 2016:


      Sometimes mine do! I use some chemicals that are dangerous if they get anywhere near water so I have to handle them in a special box full of a gas called argon. Argon is a gas that is really stable so it will never react with my chemicals! There’s a picture of me using it on my profile. The box looks has special gloves built into it so I can do my work inside (it’s called a glove box!) I feel a bit like Homer Simpson when I use it!

      I also use carbon dioxide sometimes to try and make y plastics. I have to use very high pressures which can be a little bit scary but so far nothing has gone wrong! (Fingers crossed…) I have to be very careful.

      I also use lots of nitrogen. Nitrogen in a gas that makes up most of the Earth’s atmosphere. When I use it though it’s a bit different- it’s even cooled right down and turned into a liquid! Liquid nitrogen is one of the coldest things on Earth – it’s -196 degrees C! ❄️❄️❄️

    • Photo: Cat Scott ?

      Cat Scott ? answered on 16 Mar 2016:


      Hi 952cmte48!

      My experiments just use a computer so they don’t need any gas!

    • Photo: Olusegun Gabriel Fawole

      Olusegun Gabriel Fawole answered on 16 Mar 2016:


      No, I don’t use gases in my experiments.

    • Photo: Iain McLellan

      Iain McLellan answered on 17 Mar 2016:


      Depending on the experiment I am doing I have used argon, helium, hydrogen, acetylene and nitrous oxide. I use these gases when I am looking at soil pollution and I want to know how much metal pollution is in the soil.

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