Difference between revisions of "Methane"
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| − | '''Methane''' is a [[chemical]] substance CH<sub>4</sub> found in a high percentage in [[natural gas]]. It is also a common byproduct of [[digestion]] in human and [[animal]]s. | + | '''Methane''' is a [[chemical]] substance CH<sub>4</sub> found in a high percentage in [[natural gas]]. It is also a common byproduct of [[digestion]] in human and [[animal]]s. It is also known as "marsh gas" or "swamp gas" because it is produced when vegetation decomposes in water. |
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| + | Colorless and odorless, methane is deadly in high concentrations, and is one of the "[[greenhouse gas|greenhouse gases]]". | ||
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| + | A tragic example of how deadly methane is occurred on July 2, 2007, when a [[Mennonite]] farmer climbed into a manure pit to fix an unclogged pipe. Unbeknown to him, methane gas existed in that pit and it almost instantly killed him. A farm hand, also unaware of the existence of the methane gas, rushed in to help the farmer, and then immediately died himself. The farmer's wife and two of his daughters rushed in to help, and they inhaled the methane gas and also died immediately.<ref>http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4942397.html</ref> | ||
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| + | == References == | ||
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| + | <references/> | ||
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[[Category:Organic Chemistry]] | [[Category:Organic Chemistry]] | ||
Revision as of 19:16, July 4, 2007
Methane is a chemical substance CH4 found in a high percentage in natural gas. It is also a common byproduct of digestion in human and animals. It is also known as "marsh gas" or "swamp gas" because it is produced when vegetation decomposes in water.
Colorless and odorless, methane is deadly in high concentrations, and is one of the "greenhouse gases".
A tragic example of how deadly methane is occurred on July 2, 2007, when a Mennonite farmer climbed into a manure pit to fix an unclogged pipe. Unbeknown to him, methane gas existed in that pit and it almost instantly killed him. A farm hand, also unaware of the existence of the methane gas, rushed in to help the farmer, and then immediately died himself. The farmer's wife and two of his daughters rushed in to help, and they inhaled the methane gas and also died immediately.[1]
