WANTED: NITROGEN OXIDE AND SULFUR DIOXIDE

Hi this is Li Ying and Shuen Lin from Crazy Chemists and today we would like to share with you (or rather warn you about) this very dangerous guy called nitrogen oxide. It is extremely dangerous especially because you can't exactly see it, can't hear it and the most terrifying thing of all...

YOU MAY BE INHALING IT RIGHT NOW

Ok ok, if that has frightened you out of your wits, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, but what if it's true, I said

WHAT IF

Ok? So chill out and don't get freaked out, cos I am pretty sure that our NEA has been doing a terrific job all along.

First, I will do a brief introduction about this guy. This nitrogen oxide is a combination of two gas elements called nitrogen and oxygen (For those who can't understand what I am saying you may visualize a family tree). This guy can change into many forms, depending on how much each of the elements decided to contribute to its formation.

FOR EXAMPLE

Nitric oxide (NO)

Also called nitrogen monoxide, it is formed when nitrogen gives one atom and oxygen also gives one atom to fuse together. It is a colorless gas, so

BEWARE

  

There may be traces of it around, silently lurking about

AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT,
FOR GOODNESS SAKE

And before you can scream out loud, I still have to tell you, if nitrogen monoxide decides to get another atom from oxygen, that makes:

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)


this 2nd form of nitrogen dioxide is much, much okay, in the sense that it can be easily spotted, cos it is brown (thank God) 


so what causes the formation of these Nitrogen Oxides?

Actually, it's all because of father's car and your medicine cabinet, and I am NOT joking.

While they are making your car and medicine and other chemical stuff, some heat has to be produced, right? That's why: the high temperatures in these factories, nitrogen combines with oxygen to form nitrogen monoxide. Then some nitrogen monoxide gets another atom from the surrounding oxygen in the atmosphere and becomes nitrogen dioxide, like this:

N2(g) + O2(g) = 2NO(g)
nitrogen    +   oxygen    =  nitrogen monoxide

2NO(g) + O2(g) = 2NO2(g)
nitrogen     +     oxygen    =    nitrogen dioxide
monoxide

AND NOT ONLY THAT

If it is raining cats and dogs right now at your place, you may have a high possibility to encounter this villainous thing. When it is raining cats and dogs (not the real ones!), there must be lightning, right? Lightning is the form of light energy, am I right? Light produces heat, correct? That's the root of the problem. this heat causes nitrogen and oxygen in the air to react and form nitrogen oxides. and the scary thing is:

IN THE COMPOSITION OF AIR AROUND US...


ABOUT 78% IS MADE UP OF NITROGEN

AND

ABOUT 20% IS MADE UP OF OXYGEN

AND THAT MAKES

98% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF AIR IN THE ATMOSPHERE 

GOT THAT???? MWAHAHAHAHAHA -evil laughter-

Alright alright relax it's only a silly joke (but the statistics are real!!!!) But if you are still feeling indignant about it, you may go smash that car of yours (joking joking), or go raid that pharmacy down the street and destroy the boxes of chemicals there.

disclaimer: this is only a suggestion. you may do it at your own expense

And there's one more:

Nitrous oxide: N2O


This form of nitrogen dioxide is another hazard, but drop that broom - it isn't that car's fault, poor thing (though you deserved it). This guy has been dwelling the horizons of Earth a long long time ago, when T-rexes and other giant reptiles roam the lands and seas. It is emitted by bacteria in soils and oceans, deep down in the chasms of the planet.


It is:


COLORLESS


NON FLAMMABLE


AND

SWEET ^^


but don't be fooled by its appealing appearance

Nitrous oxide reacts with oxygen to produce NO (nitric oxide)...


...and this NO in turn reacts with ozone (a compound of 3 oxygen atoms)...


...and NO2 is produced...


...and it goes on and on...

TIPS TIPS TIPS

Now it's time to be a hero and pull out this evil monster.

Ingredients: a jet, a pilot, and some machine which you can suck out this evil thing (but I don't think it's invented yet), a president, a medal

First, I will tell you where this guy lives in.


See that picture below?


These are the layers of the atmosphere surrounding Earth.



See that label "stratosphere"?


Yes, 10 to 30km vertical and you'll crash right into its home. 


So all you have to do is:


1. Take out the machine


2. Suck out the monster


3. Go back to Earth


4. Get your medal and relish in the cheers of the crowd.

Isn't that easy?


Apparently,

But fret not, there are still many other ways we can mow down this bad guy.

AND WAIT~

have I missed anything?


aw shucks I've forgotten to warn you about the evil things that nitrogen dioxide had done!  

WELL IT'S IN THE NEXT CHAPTER~

 -And-

Now it’s time for SO2 !

SO2 is the chemical formula of the gas called sulfur dioxide, and it isn’t less evil than nitrogen oxides!

Sulfur dioxide cannot be seen as well. It is invisible, with a nasty smell.

And why exactly is it dangerous? It is because of its ability to react easily with other substances to form many kinds of harmful compounds, with sulfuric acid and sulfate particles being a few examples.

Now, before we start pointing fingers, let me just state that

WE, HUMANS

Are the ones causing 99% of the sulfur dioxide in our environment. Yes, we’re the ones doing this to our Earth.

Industrial activity, where materials that contain sulfur are processed, is one of the biggest source of sulfur dioxide.  Examples will be the burning of fossil fuels which contain sulfur as well as the generation of electricity from coal, oil, or gas that contain sulfur. So switch off the lights when you leave the room, yeah ? :D

And when mineral ores are processed, sulfur dioxide will also be released if the ores contain sulfur. Volcanoes also release sulfur dioxide. Yeah yeah relax! I'm not saying volcanoes are your fault! :D 

Oh, and did you know that when your father drives a car, he is also contributing to the presence of sulfur dioxide in the environment? As a result of fuel combustion, sulfur dioxide is also present in motor vehicle emissions. So we should use public transport more often!

Furthermore, smelting, which is to produce a metal from its ore, also releases sulfur dioxide into our poor environment! 

Of course, there are natural sources of sulfur dioxide as well. These include biological decay, oceans, forest fires and, as previously mentioned, volcanoes. Yes yes chill! No one's blaming you for this! These are things that are beyond our control, but what we can do is to minimize the release of sulfur dioxide due to human activities! 

Okay, I suppose we're done here. The others will follow up ^_^ So stay tuned~ 

haven't you people realized all along that I didn't provide any proofs that this nitrogen oxide is dangerous?