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Air sensitivity is a term used, particularly in chemistry, to denote the reactivity of chemical compounds with some constituent of air.Most often, reactions occur with atmospheric oxygen (O 2) or water vapor (H 2 O), [1] although reactions with the other constituents of air such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2), and nitrogen (N 2) are also possible.
In chemistry, the term chemically inert is used to describe a substance that is not chemically reactive.From a thermodynamic perspective, a substance is inert, or nonlabile, if it is thermodynamically unstable (positive standard Gibbs free energy of formation) yet decomposes at a slow, or negligible rate.
2 from its component elements is almost constant and independent of the temperature, while the free energy of formation of CO decreases with temperature. [3] At high temperatures, the forward reaction becomes endergonic , favoring the ( exergonic ) reverse reaction toward CO, even though the forward reaction is still exothermic .
Because of the non-reactive properties of inert gases, they are often useful to prevent undesirable chemical reactions from taking place. Food is packed in an inert gas to remove oxygen gas. This prevents bacteria from growing. [7] It also prevents chemical oxidation by oxygen in normal air.
Vc values are not assumed accurate more than to a few percent. Parentheses indicate extrapolated values. From these sources: (a) D. Ambrose, Vapor-Liquid Constants of Fluids, in R.M. Stevenson, S. Malanowski, Handbook of the Thermodynamics of Organic Compounds, Elsevier, New York, (1987).
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Another difficulty is that most odorants (e.g., the thiols) are chemically reactive. This is not a problem with natural gas intended to be burned as fuel, which is routinely odorized , but a major use of asphyxiants such as nitrogen, helium, argon and krypton is to protect reactive materials from the atmosphere.
The gas used is usually inert, or of a nature that protects the integrity of the packaged goods, inhibiting unwanted chemical reactions such as food spoilage or oxidation. Some may also serve as a propellant for aerosol sprays like cans of whipped cream. For packaging food, the use of various gases is approved by regulatory organisations. [1]