History

• In 1775, Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), an English chemist and clergyman, synthesized nitrous oxide for use in medicine. He was the father of “laughing gas,” an anesthetic still in use today. Nitrous oxide became popular in the dentistry field beginning in 1844, when it was first used, because of its low strength as a painkiller. Nitrous oxide has found its way into popular culture too. For example, in 2001 the combustible power of nitrous oxide was rediscovered with its appearance in the street racing film “Fast and the Furious” that led to companies such as NOS and Nitrous Express marketing personal nitrous systems to give a shot of horsepower in cars, trucks and motorcycles.
  
  

Physical Properties

• Chemically known as N20, nitrous oxide has the scientific name Dinitrogen monoxide or Hyponitrous acid. It is a colorless gas with a sweet smell, which helped gain acceptance as an anesthetic. Nitrous oxide has a molecular weight of 44.02, a vapor density of 1.53 and it is slightly soluble in water. It has a boiling point of negative 88.5 degrees Celsius and a melting point of negative 91 degrees Celsius. With a CAS number of 10024-97-2, N20 decomposes into dangerous carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen. Carbon monoxide is nonflammable but extremely combustible under pressure.
  
  

Uses

• In internal combustion engines, nitrous oxide acts as a catalyst within engine combustion. Soon after its injection into a fuel system, it will explode and produce a limited push of high horsepower, which can be detrimental to engine components such as pistons and rods if they cannot handle the power increase. Increased combustion is also a reason why some rocket motors used in both space exploration vehicles and military weapons use N20. "Laughing gas” remains a widely used painkiller in both hospitals and dentist offices. Used as a general anesthetic, it is not strong enough for surgical procedures. Among consumer goods, N20 is an approved food, office supply and paint additive. It is also used as an additive in aerosol cans, including those containing shaving cream and cooking spray.
  
  

Safety

• Absorbed through inhalation or contact with the skin or eyes, nitrous oxide can cause frostbite, deep breathing, sleepiness, asphyxia, headaches, nausea, irritability, light-headedness, frostbite, euphoria and minor hallucinations. NO2 targets the central nervous system as well as the cardiovascular, hepatic, hematopoietic and reproductive systems, according to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Prolonged exposure to nitrous oxide can require medical attention. In the event of a nitrous oxide explosion, be wary of the carbon monoxide by-product that it will leave behind. In the state of California, for example, possession of N20 with intent to inhale is a misdemeanor, according to justsayn20.com, so personally administering nitrous oxide can be illegal too.
  
  

Environmental Effects

• Science News states that nitrous oxide might negatively affect the structure of the Earth’s stratospheric atmosphere, according to a 2009 study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado. Car exhaust, chlorine-based refrigerants, such as Freon, and other carbon-producing machines also contribute to ozone thinning. A thinner atmosphere facilitates a rise in UV rays, which affects weather, increases the likelihood of cancer and harms nature.