Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Calibration Gas

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous, is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula N₂O. At room temperature, it is a colourless non-flammable gas, with a slight metallic scent and taste. At elevated temperatures, nitrous oxide is a powerful oxidizer similar to molecular oxygen. It is soluble in water. Nitrous oxide has significant medical uses, especially in surgery and dentistry, for its anaesthetic and pain reducing effects. It is also used as an oxidiser in rocket propellants, and in motor racing to increase the power output of engines. Nitrous oxide occurs in small amounts in the atmosphere, but recently has been found to be a major scavenger of stratospheric ozone, with an impact comparable to that of CFCs. It is estimated that 30% of the N₂O in the atmosphere is the result of human activity, chiefly agriculture. Being the third most important long-lived greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide substantially contributes to global warming.