Is Nitrous Oxide Lighter than Air?

[staticpike]

Just as the subject asks - Is Nitrous Oxide lighter than air?

[Shirl]

No, can't be.. 2 parts nitrogen 1 part oxygen. Good question [img]graemlins/naughty.gif[/img]

[malice10985]

air is:
78% nitrogen: N2
21% oxygen: 02
1% crap: anything like methane co2 etc...

Nitrous is: N20

Nitrogen and oxygen are on the same level of the periodic table, indicating they are about the same weight.

Each nitrogen or oxygen molecule only consists of 2 atoms. A nitrous molecule has 3 atoms. Thus, nitrous molecules are heavier than the majority of air molecules.

[John_D.]

But the molecule is bigger, so the density would be the same, yes?

[Darknight]

Oxygen and nitrogen are the two main constituents of air. Oxygen is heavier than nitrogen. There is more oxygen per volume in nitrous than in air. Nitrous is heavier.

DK

[95Batmobile]

LOL So far there have been 2 totally different answers that got the same result, but nobody even bothered with the molar mass [img]tongue.gif[/img] Not that you had to, but it is funny nonetheless.

[Justin Kirkham]

I was thinking the same thing 95Batmobile.

Here are the simply calculations:

Air:
.78(% nitrogen) x 28.00g/mol = 21.84g
.21(% oxygen) x 32g/mol = 7.77g
.01(% other, based on carbon dioxide) x 44g = .44

Add these all up, and the weight for 22.4 liters of air at STP is 30.05 grams, give or take.

Nitrous:
1.00(% nitrous) x 44.00g/mol = 44.00g

So for 22.4 liters of nitrous at STP is 44.00 grams, give or take.

Since avogadro's number is the same for both, it can be ignored. Also, many other small factors are truly unimportant. So, for a certain volume and under standard or similiar conditions, nitrous will weigh essentially 50% more than air. So if a bottle of nitrous weights 10lbs empty, and 40 full, then the same bottle with air would weight 30lbs essentially.

-Justin

P.S. Are my number and math right?

[malice10985]

That is what I meant. Nitrous is heavier than air.

THat is sort of how it makes my engine so much more powerful.

WIth a normal intake of air, my engine gets 21% o2 and 78% n2.

with nitrous, the engine gets 33% o2 by volume, and 66% n2. More o2 = more power.

I always wondered why we don't inject pure oxygen into our engines.

SOmeone once told me that is would be an uncontrollable detonation. Nitrogen slows the combustion and makes it burn smoother.

[WickEdSix9838]

why get all scientific when you KNOW that a 10lb bottle holds 10lbs of nitrous? how could u get 10lbs of nitrous if its lighter than air?

[Black01GT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by malice10985:


I always wondered why we don't inject pure oxygen into our engines.

SOmeone once told me that is would be an uncontrollable detonation. Nitrogen slows the combustion and makes it burn smoother.<hr></blockquote>
thats absolutely correct. the nitrogen "dilutes" the mixture so it doesnt detetonate. thats another reason you want to be a little richer with nitrous than say a blower car. a blower cars getting an equal amount of air forced into each cylinder, whereas a nitrous kit (wet or dry)the spray has to work its way through the intake and some combustion chambers might get more than others.

[WickEdSix9838]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> thats absolutely correct. the nitrogen "dilutes" the mixture so it doesnt detetonate. thats another reason you want to be a little richer with nitrous than say a blower car. a blower cars getting an equal amount of air forced into each cylinder, whereas a nitrous kit (wet or dry)the spray has to work its way through the intake and some combustion chambers might get more than others. <hr></blockquote>
thats not completely true, serious race blower motors cant be lean, one of my dads customers has an Alan Johnson alcohol blower motor and if u lean it out one bit it knocks the exhaust guides out...that guy did it 2 or 3 times w/in his first 50 passes, talk about expensive lessons!!

[Riles]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
how could u get 10lbs of nitrous if its lighter than air?<hr></blockquote>


Sorry to jump in, but the 10 lbs of nitrous is compressed. If you notice, you can also get 10 lbs of compressed helium. Helium is definitely lighter than air, but when you compress it, it is heavier. Soooo, it wasn't an outrageous question, and it DID require getting "all scientific".

[12secondv6]

But... which is lighter.... 10 pounds of oxygen or 10 pounds of nitrous oxide??? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[OneQuickV6]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
how could u get 10lbs of nitrous if its lighter than air?<hr></blockquote>

When the nitrous is in the bottle, it is liquid. Nitrous in its liquid form, is more dense than air, hence why a pickup at the bottom of the fill-tank allows you to fill bottles.