Cold storage of acetylene

[papasmirf]

Yea, this has been fun. I've completely enjoyed the discussion. This is how all of us should live... Talking openly without fear. Again, thanks guys. Looking forward to the next.


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[MinnesotaDave]

But I still contend that, along with Nitrogen, argon, and three or four others, CO2 is, by all scientific facts, an inert gas.

So based on your statement...
and the memory of CO2 wire feed being MAG welding rattling around in my head somewhere...
I looked up the quotes I listed last night.

It would seem your statement is true, but with the exception of welding.

Man.

Simple question turns into an advanced armchair physics lesson.

Carry on....

Physics hater...

You enter the laboratory and see an experiment. How will you know which class is it?

If it's green and wiggles, it's biology.
If it stinks, it's chemistry.
If it doesn't work, it's physics

.

[Rock knocker]

CO*2 will combine with H*2O and form carbonic acid in the atmosphere.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

[papasmirf]

With most things in this world, if you add a factor such as welding to the equation, CO2 being an inert gas, yes you change something. But you have ADDED a factor that changes the formula. Adding that factor does not change the base fact.
Example again: H2O being water is wet, has surface tension, is an eroder, can dilute other substances, but you add the factor of electricity you change it to two gasses. Again a factor has been added.


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[MinnesotaDave]

With most things in this world, if you add a factor such as welding to the equation, CO2 being an inert gas, yes you change something. But you have ADDED a factor that changes the formula. Adding that factor does not change the base fact.
Example again: H2O being water is wet, has surface tension, is an eroder, can dilute other substances, but you add the factor of electricity you change it to two gasses. Again a factor has been added.

I think maybe that's backwards based on this portion of the definition:
"The term inert gas is context-dependent because nitrogen gas and several of the noble gases can be made to react under certain conditions."

In other words, the statement can be made that "under these conditions, the gas is inert, but under this set of conditions it is not."

The conditions must be part of the statement, just saying a gas is inert is not enough information - "inert under what conditions?" would be the question.

I may be cutting that too fine, but precision in definitions is important.

[papasmirf]

That was my point also. From a noble "inert" gas to have a change or be made to change something you have to add a factor. But the base is inert.


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[Rock knocker]

The terms inert and noble gasses are really quite old and date to the middle 1800's. It was thought that the elements on the left side of the periodic table could not bond with other elements. Latter, finding that the valance shell was full, this was thought to be further collaborated. But compounds involving these gasses have subsequently been made.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_gas_compound