Nitrous oxide facts for kids
Nitrous oxide is a special kind of gas that has the chemical name N2O. You can find it naturally in the air around us. People also make it in factories because it has many different uses.
This gas is known as a very strong greenhouse gas. This means it can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, much like carbon dioxide does, but it's almost 300 times stronger! Because it affects our planet's climate, scientists and others are working to use less of it.
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What is Nitrous Oxide Used For?
Nitrous oxide has several interesting uses in our daily lives.
In Medicine
Doctors and dentists often use nitrous oxide to help people feel less pain. It can make you feel calm and a little sleepy during medical procedures. Because it often makes people feel happy or even giggle, it's also famously called "laughing gas." It helps patients relax during things like dental work.
In Cars
You might hear nitrous oxide called "nitrous" or "NOS" when people talk about fast cars. It's used in some high-performance cars to give their engines a quick boost of power. This helps cars go faster for a short time.
In Food and Other Products
Nitrous oxide is also used in aerosol spray cans. A common example is in cans of whipped cream. It helps push the whipped cream out of the can and makes it light and fluffy. It's safe to use with food because it has a slightly sweet taste and is not harmful to eat.
Images for kids
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Small containers of N2O used for making whipped cream.
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Tanks of N2O used by dentists and doctors.
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A picture from the 1800s showing people trying out laughing gas at a party.
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A street sign in Groningen, Netherlands, showing that using nitrous oxide is not allowed here.
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Pages from Sir Humphry Davy's book from 1800, where he wrote about how nitrous oxide could help with pain during surgery.
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How nitrous oxide is made.
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Measurements of nitrous oxide in the air around the world.
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How much nitrous oxide has been in the air since 1978.
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How fast nitrous oxide in the air has been increasing since 2000.
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Where nitrous oxide comes from and goes in the Earth's environment (2020).
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How the amounts of important greenhouse gases in the air have changed over time.
See also
In Spanish: Óxido de nitrógeno(I) para niños
