Category Gases

Why is Carbon Monoxide is dangerous gas?

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas produced when substances containing carbon-such as coal, wood, oil or petrol-are burned without enough oxygen present.

Why is it dangerous?

It is poisonous. Being colourless and odourless a dangerous amount of the gas can leak out before it is detected. If inhaled, carbon monoxide gets into the bloodstream and combines with the haemoglobin in the red blood corpuscles. preventing them from carrying life-giving oxygen to the various parts of the body. If breathed in continuously in an enclosed space the person will slip into unconsciousness and die.

In cities, a great deal of carbon monoxide is released into the atmosphere by car engines.

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How playing cards has an ancient Indian connection?

Playing cards are supposed to have originated in Tang China, but were very popular in India as Krida patram, and later in Mughal times as Ganjifa. Beautiful round cards in materials like Ivory, wood, and silk were made.

Modern Polo was picked up by the British in the 19th century from a game played by Manipuri royalty in North East India. However, it is a 2000-year-old game from Persia, which had spread to India, China and even the Byzantine Empire. The Persian name was Chogan, but it was called Pulu in Manipur, which means wooden ball. It was a favourite of royalty. Qutbuddin Aibak died playing it in Lahore. Akbar invented a flaming ball so that he could play it at night. Variations like Elephant Polo were also popular.

 

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How martial arts of Kung Fu has an ancient Indian connection?

Shaolin Kung Fu was the first institutionalised martial art in China, which influenced others like judo and karate. The story of its origin in the temple of Shaolin is given in various Chinese texts. An Indian monk Bodhidharma, who is supposed to have been a Pallava prince, came to China in the 6th century.

“The Dharma Master was a South Indian of the Western Region. He was the third son of a great Indian king. His ambition lay in the Mahayana path, and so he put aside his white layman’s robe for the black robe of a monk […] Lamenting the decline of the true teaching in the outlands, he subsequently crossed distant mountains and seas, travelling about propagating the teaching in Han and Wei.”

After many years, he started living in the Shaolin temple, and developed the Chan (from “Dhyan”) school of mediation, which became “Zen” in Japan. In the classical Yoga approach, he believed that physical fitness of the monks was eesential for concentration, and developed exercises like martial arts, as he had been trained as a warrior. One can see the resemblance between Shaolin Kung Fu and surviving Indian Martial arts like Kalaripayattu. He is known as Damo in China, Daruma dolls are very popular in Japan, depicting him with a black curly beard.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Will natural gas last forever?

 

We are using up natural gas supplies very quickly. One day, we will run out of this form of energy. We need to find alternative sources of energy before it is too late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some countries do not use fossil fuels very often. Other countries use them all the time.

In the industrialized world, we depend on fossil fuels for energy. Burning fossil fuels causes pollution. Pollution has an effect around the world, causing problems such as extreme weather patterns. Even countries that have limited energy sources are affected by pollution.

 

 

 

 

 

We can’t reuse or replace natural gas.

Natural gas is a non-renewable fuel. When supplies have been used up, it will take millions of years to make any more. However, some fuels, like wood, are renewable. We plant new trees so that there are always supplies of wood.

 

 

 

 

We are using up fossil fuels very quickly.

In 2003, scientists estimated that, at the rate we are using energy, there is enough natural gas left for about 66 years. Other scientists argue that new discoveries of natural gas deposits mean that we won’t run out of this fuel quite so soon.

Natural gas and safety

 

 

Natural gas burns easily, which makes it useful for providing energy. But this also means that gas can be dangerous. Great care must always be taken when taking gas from the ground, moving gas from place to place or using gas in the home.

 

 

 

 

 

 When gas is transported it has to be carried safely.

A single spark can cause gas to burn. Ships that carry gas (called tankers) now have to be specially made so that they are less likely to leak if they crash. Empty spaces in the tankers are also filled with a gas which will not catch fire.

 

 

 

Gas leaks are very dangerous.

If gas escapes and comes near to a flame or other chemicals, it can explode. In 2004, 23 people were killed when a gas pipeline exploded in Belgium. In 1988, an explosion on a drilling rig in the North Sea, called Piper Alpha, also caused many deaths.

 

 

 

 

Gas smells like rotten eggs!

When natural gas comes out of the ground, it does not smell. A chemical is added to make it smell unpleasant, but very noticeable! If you smell natural gas you should tell a grown-up straightway. People from a gas company can find the leak and make it safe.

Natural gas and pollution

 

Each day, we use fossil fuels to drive our cars and to make electricity for computers and lights. These fuels release chemicals into the air that can harm our world. This is called pollution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burning huge amounts of gas creates pollution.

In some parts of the world, oil is drilled to be used as fuel. Any natural gas released from the same area is left to burn in blazing fires, because it is too costly to store and transport. This is called flaring. These raging fires release many chemicals that harm the local area. It would be better if this gas could be stored and then used for fuel.

 

 

 

 

Pollution is making the Earth hotter.

Fossil fuels release a gas called carbon dioxide when they burn. This gas acts like a blanket, trapping the Sun’s heat around the Earth. This extra heat can cause extreme weather conditions, from terrible storms to hotter weather.

 

 

 

 

Natural gas is one of the cleanest fossil fuels.

When gas is burned it does not produce as many harmful chemicals as other fossil fuels. A gas-powered car or bus creates less pollution than a petrol-powered vehicle. Many people are now using this cleaner fuel.