[Chelle07]

 have a few questions.  I need to explain: How might you distinguish between a polar and non polar solvent?   and then the last one I have is  Which of the following is carcinogenic??  a.) N2O   b.) CO c.) CCl4  d.) O3 e.) CO2   I'm thinking it's b but could it also be CO2

[xiankai]

a carcinogenic substance is one that causes cancer. i used to thought carbon monoxide was carcinogenic too, until i got contradicted in the forums

carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide involve respiratory problems, and thus are not carcinogenic.

nitrous oxide of N2O is laughing gas, and is used as a anaesthetic. so it doesnt fall into the category.

last one left is ozone, and yes that is carcinogenic.

[Grumples]

The simple answer to your first question would be: see what dissolves in it.  Like dissolves like, right?

[Mitch]

I would of said carbon tet. is the prime carcinogenic substance, but I haven't looked up the MSDS for them.

[Winga]

Carbon tetrachloride:
http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/CA/carbon_tetrachloride.html

Ozone:
http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/OZ/ozone.html


About polar and non polar solvent, find out the electronegativity differences between the atoms in a molecule, and see if there is any net dipole moment or not.

[hotrhodium]

Carbon tet is fine and even in contact with the O3 it is uncreative (contrary to popular belief). When CFCs were first marketed the inventor breathed r14 (CCl4) in on TV to sell it, forget his name sorry. CO2 is not only in the atmosphere but it is also put into Oxygen bottles at hospitals at much higher levels to stimulate the lungs to breath out Oh yeah  fire extinguishers and BB guns too. CO will Kill you before you will find out as the body likes it more than O2. N2H is laughing gas and used in NOS kits so not N2O. Now O3 on the other hand is one of the most misunderstood chemicals ever. Toxic and the majority of the black in smog it is a carcinogen to some animals. Here is a good place to read about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone

PS…As for solvents, remember some solvents are both like Ethanol.

[Mitch]

Carbon tet is fine and even in contact with the O3 it is uncreative (contrary to popular belief). When CFCs were first marketed the inventor breathed r14 (CCl4) in on TV to sell it, forget his name sorry. CO2 is not only in the atmosphere but it is also put into Oxygen bottles at hospitals at much higher levels to stimulate the lungs to breath out Oh yeah  fire extinguishers and BB guns too. CO will Kill you before you will find out as the body likes it more than O2. N2H is laughing gas and used in NOS kits so not N2O. Now O3 on the other hand is one of the most misunderstood chemicals ever. Toxic and the majority of the black in smog it is a carcinogen to some animals. Here is a good place to read about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone

PS…As for solvents, remember some solvents are both like Ethanol.

Winga's MSDS post points to carbon tet. as the likely carcinogen.

[hotrhodium]

I diden't trust their site sorry you are right i must have been thinking of another CFC

[hotrhodium]

Yeah it was Mr. Thomas Midgley Jr. and freon my falt.
PS.. O3 is still bad.

[jdurg]

N2H is laughing gas and used in NOS kits so not N2O. Now O3 on the other hand is one of the most misunderstood chemicals ever. Toxic and the majority of the black in smog it is a carcinogen to some animals. Here is a good place to read about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone

PS…As for solvents, remember some solvents are both like Ethanol.

Wow.  All this time and all the University courses I've taken, and everything I've read about chemistry is wrong?  I never knew that Nitrogen could have an oxidation state of +1/2.    N2H is most DEFINITELY not laughing gas.  In fact, N2H can't even possibly exist.  N2O is nitrous oxide and it IS laughing gas.  You can argue all you want, but I'm right.  

For the ozone situation, ozone is a completely colorless gas at the concentrations which exist in the air around us.  (I think that if you concentrate it, it has a very slight blue haze to it, but if you get it that concentrated it becomes a very dangerous situation).  It is not 'black' and is not responsible for the dark color of smog.  The dark browns you see in smog are mixtures of numerous gases, most notably nitric oxides which are a dark brown in color.  

And yes, O3 is pretty nasty stuff that you don't want to be playing around with.  It's a lot like fluorine gas.

[Mitch]

I've used O3 in lab. In the gaseous form it is clear, but when boubled through solution it'll typically tint blue.

[Borek]

I never knew that Nitrogen could have an oxidation state of +1/2.

Do you mean that in compound like N3H nitrogen will be +1/3?  

[jdurg]

Ummm.. Let's just forget my momentary lapse of neuron function.  

Still, H2N is not laughing gas.  N2O is.

[xiankai]

my mom also tried ozone therapy on me once before

it smelled pretty bad when i soaked my legs in ozone-dissolved water (heck, she even soaked fruits in the ozone water to "cleanse them"

it kind smelt of chlorine, so i assumed it was like a bleaching agent