Can you mix nitrogen and air?

Let’s start with a little experiment, shall we? Take a deep breath in. Now hold it for as long as you can… and exhale.

phew

Feels good to be able to breathe again, doesn’t it?

Well, did you know that the air we just breathed in is actually made up of several gases? One of which is nitrogen.

So what happens if we mix more nitrogen into this already-nitrogen-filled air? Can you do it?

Let’s find out!

What is Nitrogen?

Before we dive into whether or not we can mix nitrogen and air, let’s first understand what exactly is nitrogen.

Nitrogen (N2) makes up around 78% of Earth’s atmosphere. It’s an essential component in many chemical compounds needed by plants and animals alike.

It’s also used commercially – liquid nitrogen (LN2), for instance, has become famous as an ingredient used by chefs worldwide (think: molecular gastronomy) due to its extremely low boiling point (-196 degree celsius).

Now that we know the basics of Nitrogen let us delve deeper into our question – can Nitrogen be mixed with Air?

Mixing Nitrogen & Air: Is It Possible?

The short answer here would be yes; mixing both gases- nitrogen, which makes up most (~78%) portion of the earth’s atmosphere along with other components such as oxygen (+21%), argon (<1%), carbon dioxide (<0.4%), Neon , methane (each <0.01%) altogether will still form breathable “air”

However, there are different ways one could ‘mix’ these gases together –

Method 1: Through Compressed Gas

One common method for combining compressed gas mixes like Oxygen/Nitrox/Heliox etc., involves having separate valves/headings/lines/connectors from each cylinder leading towards a ‘flat board’ (see image below)

Image of compressed gas cylinders connected to a flat board

Tubing from the outlet points up each cylinder would be centrally bound/connected on this picture, mixing Nitrogen and Air with ease.

Method 2: PSA – Pressure Swing Absorption

The second method is usually employed in industrial purifying techniques like Separative Nitrogen Generation or Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA). In short, nitrogen gas is separated from air through pressure changes, then mixed back into large air supply systems for various purposes.

How safe it that?

It’s essential to note that Nitrogen without oxygen may cause asphyxiation — the human body needs both gases to survive healthily.

An increase in the concentration of nitrogen can lower blood oxygen contents which could lead to dizziness or other dangerous bodily reactions.

Therefore there are safety limits one should adhere by during its use/mixing, especially in enclosed & unventilated spaces such as labs/gas chambers/cryogenic rooms etc., where people might get exposed more detrimental scenarios related through suffocation of lab animals/humans if given incorrectly.
Remember always calculate associated risks thoroughly before attempting any experimentations involving gaseous substances!

Nevertheless when used within well-calculated confinement these mixes provide significant applications -it’s used regularly enough so far without eliminating breathable and healthy qualities of atmosphere we surround every day.

Final Verdict

So can you mix nitrogen and air? The answer is yes! However doing so requires upper-level safety precautions/directions associated with experiments across different fields.

Unless you really know what you’re doing (Which I presume not many folks out here), I’d recommend sitting this one out and letting professionals handle all those intricate details concerning how much quantity /concentration you need because frankly dealing with chemicals isn’t child’s play folks!.

Stay safe, and keep breathing!

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