Nitrous oxide

Uses

Inhalant effects — laughing gas

Nitrous oxide, N2O is a dissociative which can cause analgesia, euphoria, dizziness, flanging of sound, and in some cases, slight hallucinations and mild aphrodisiac effect. It can also result in mild nausea or lingering dizziness if too much is inhaled in too short a time.

Related Topics:
Dissociative - Flanging

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the 19th century, William James and many contemporaries found that inhalation of nitrous oxide resulted in a powerful spiritual/mystical experience for the user. James claimed to experience the fusing of dichotomies into a unity and a revelation of ultimate truth during the inhalation of nitrous oxide. Memory of this experience, however, quickly faded and any attempt to communicate it was difficult at best.

Related Topics:
19th century - William James - Spiritual/mystical

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The drug currently enjoys moderate popularity in the American psychedelic community. It was often sold at Grateful Dead and Phish concerts, and due to its short duration of effects and consequent potential for repeated use, it has come to be known colloquially as "hippie crack". Recreational users obtain it either from whipped cream chargers or medical-grade tanks.

Related Topics:
Grateful Dead - Phish - Tank

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The recreational use of nitrous oxide is restricted in many districts. In California, for instance, inhalation of nitrous oxide "for the purpose of causing euphoria, or for the purpose of changing in any manner, one’s mental processes," is a criminal offense. (See, Cal. Pen. Code, Sec. 381b.) The Centre for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics, a nonprofit law and policy center in the United States, contends that such laws are unconstitutional "prior restraints on speech" and constitute "cognitive censorship."

Related Topics:
California - The Centre for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since nitrous oxide can cause dizziness, dissociation, and temporary loss of motor control, it is unsafe to inhale while standing up. Inhalation of nitrous oxide directly from a whipped cream charger or a tank poses serious health risks, as it can cause the lungs to collapse from high levels of pressure, forcing air into the chest cavity, and can cause frostbite since the gas is very cold when released. For those reasons, most recreational nitrous oxide users will discharge the gas into a balloon before inhaling.

Related Topics:
Dissociation - Frostbite

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While the pure gas itself is not toxic, death can result if it is inhaled in such a way that not enough oxygen is breathed in. Long-term use in large quantities has been associated with dangerous symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency: anemia due to reduced hemopoiesis, neuropathy, tinnitus, and numbness in extremities. In chronic use it is also teratogenic, and foetotoxic. It can be habit-forming, mainly because of its short-lived effect (fewer than 60 seconds in recreational doses) and ease of access. Inhaling industrial-grade nitrous oxide is also dangerous, as it contains many impurities and is not intended for use on humans. Finally, nitrous oxide should not be confused with nitric oxide, a poisonous gas.

Related Topics:
Vitamin B12 - Anemia - Hemopoiesis - Neuropathy - Tinnitus - Numbness - Teratogenic - Foetotoxic - Nitric oxide

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Whipped cream chargers containing nitrous oxide are often called "whippets," especially among the recreational nitrous oxide community.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Medicine

Nitrous oxide is a weak general anesthetic, needing high concentrations to induce and maintain unconsciousness. However, it has a very low short-term toxicity and is an excellent analgesic, so a 50/50 mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen ("gas and air", supplied under the trade name Entonox) is commonly used during childbirth, for dental procedures, and in emergency medicine. In general anesthesia it is used in an 80/20 mixture with oxygen in combination with more powerful agents such as sevoflurane.

Related Topics:
General anesthetic - Analgesic - Entonox - Childbirth - Dental - General anesthesia - Sevoflurane

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aerosol propellant

The gas is licensed for use as a food additive, specifically as an aerosol spray propellant. Its most common uses in this context are in aerosol whipped cream canisters and as an inert gas used to displace staleness-inducing oxygen when filling packages of potato chips and other similar snack foods.

Related Topics:
Food additive - Aerosol spray propellant - Whipped cream - Potato chips

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The gas is excellently soluble in fatty compounds. In aerosol whipped cream, it is dissolved in the fatty cream until it leaves the can, when it becomes gaseous and thus creates foam.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rocket motors

Nitrous oxide can be used as an oxidiser in a rocket engine. This has the advantages over other oxidisers that it is non-toxic and, due to its stability at room temperature, easy to store and relatively safe to carry on a flight.

Related Topics:
Oxidiser - Rocket

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nitrous oxide has notably been the oxidiser of choice in several hybrid rocket designs (using solid fuel with a liquid or gaseous oxidiser). The combination of nitrous oxide with hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene fuel has been used by SpaceShipOne and others. It is also notably used in amatuer and high power rocketry with various plastics as the fuel.

Related Topics:
Hybrid rocket - Hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene - SpaceShipOne - Amatuer - High power rocket - Plastic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Internal Combustion Engine

In car racing, nitrous oxide (often just "nitrous" in this context) is sometimes injected into the intake manifold (or just prior to the intake manifold) to increase power: even though the gas itself is not flammable, it delivers more oxygen than atmospheric air by breaking down at elevated temperatures, thus allowing the engine to burn more fuel and air. Additionally, since nitrous oxide is stored as a liquid, the evaporation of liquid nitrous oxide in the intake manifold causes a large drop in intake charge temperature. This results in a smaller, denser charge, and can reduce detonation, as well as increase power available to the engine.

Related Topics:
Car racing - Oxygen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The same technique was used during by World War II Luftwaffe aircraft to boost the power output of aircraft engines. Originally meant to provide the Luftwaffe standard aircraft with superior high-altitude performance, technological considerations limited its use to extremely high altitudes. Accordingly, it was only used by specialized planes like high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, high-speed bombers and high-altitude interceptors.

Related Topics:
World War II - Aircraft engine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of the major problems of using nitrous oxide in a reciprocating engine is that it can produce enough power to destroy the engine. Power increases of 100-300% are possible, and unless the mechanical structure of the engine is reinforced, most engines would not survive this kind of operation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is very important with nitrous oxide augmentation of internal combustion engines to maintain temperatures and fuel levels so as to prevent preignition, or detonation (sometimes referred to as knocking, pinging or pinking).

Related Topics:
Internal combustion engine - Detonation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~