You never know what you'll find when you start searching the internet for simple things like videos on methane. If you need a break from studying, give these posts a read:
I mentioned in a post on methane bubbles in ice that methane is actually odourless. Even though methane is the gas we often associated with farts (possibly because of studies on how much methane cows release), it must not be the methane that makes farts smelly. Did you know that some scientists have actually studied the volume and "odour intensity" of farts! Read this post, especially the description of the study to find out more. If you just can't believe that a study on farts actually got published, you can read the whole article here.
Like you saw in lab, methane is combustible. If methane is in your intestines, does that mean your intestines could explode?! Well, actually, in certain (very limited) circumstances, it can! Check out the summary on how it happens here.
Studies on farts and exploding intestines...who knew? The question is, who volunteers to have their farts measured...or (even worse) to judge farts for their smelliness!
Tuesday 9 April 2013
Fire and Ice
Check out this video about methane being released as permafrost thaws. Remember, in lab (and in our homes) scent is added to natural gas so we can detect a leak. Methane on its own is odourless, so one way to test for it is to see if it ignites!
You'll see a demo in chemistry lab this week using methane bubbles; this video shows the same reaction on a much larger scale!
On a non-chemistry note, this also reminds me of a poem I learned in elementary school, "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost. I knew that English class would be useful!
You'll see a demo in chemistry lab this week using methane bubbles; this video shows the same reaction on a much larger scale!
On a non-chemistry note, this also reminds me of a poem I learned in elementary school, "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost. I knew that English class would be useful!
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