What to do, Cry or Laugh?

Chemistry Level 2

2 closed containers are brought in a room. One has Laughing gas ( $N_{2} O$ ) and the other has Tear gas ( $CCl_{3} NO_{2}$ ). Both gases are at same Temp. , Pressure & have same Volume and no. of moles.

The lid of the containers are removed simultaneously, then what would be the reaction of the children??

Details and assumptions :

Please Ignore human physiological reaction times to chemical agents.
Assume that laughing gas makes children laugh, and that tear gas makes children cry.

Children first Laugh and then Cry. Children neither Cry nor Laugh. None Of The Above. Children first Cry and then Laugh. Children Cry and Laugh simultaneously.

2 solutions

Swapnil Maiti
Sep 5, 2015

tear gas will diffuse slower than laughing gas

yes by Graham's law of diffusion

rajdeep das - 4 years, 10 months ago

Ashwin Upadhyay
Sep 4, 2015

Tear gas has large molecular mass than laughing gas, Hence it will diffuse at a slower rate. Thus laughing gas reaches first to the children and then tear gas reaches.Thus children first laugh and then cry.

That simply means laughing gas gets to the children earlier than tear gas, but once they're hit with tear gas, the reaction is pretty instantaneous, which is the whole idea behind tear gas. Reaction to laughing gas, however, isn't so instantaneous, but it will make the children feel like being tear-gassed is not so bad and maybe even funny. It takes longer for laughing gas to reach the brain and for the brain to react to it, as compared to tear gas, which is a contact irritant.

As a good analogy, if I drank a shot of whiskey, it'll take some time for me to feel the buzz. But if a shot of whiskey was thrown into my face and eyes, I think I'd react to it quite immediately.

I think one needs to consider human physiological reaction times to these agents.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 9 months ago

Well I didn't think so deeply. So, according to you what must be the answer?? Or must I rephrase it to get an accurate answer??

Ashwin Upadhyay - 5 years, 9 months ago

Oh, I don't know. Should "human physiological reaction times to chemical agents" be a topic for Brilliant.org? Ask Calvin Lin. I'm not sure how to handle this. I think the problem is that it's not easy to actually go look that up. I can try.

This does remind me about the time I worked with sulfuric acid. Contrary to public imagination, dipping your hand into concentrated (not fuming) sulfuric acid will not immediately char or even burn your hand. You do still have a few seconds to flush it with water before damage occurs.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Michael Mendrin – Should I add a detail that please Ignore human physiological reaction times to chemical agents ??

Ashwin Upadhyay - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Ashwin Upadhyay – Yes please. That'll make things more accurate.

Priyansh Sangule - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Priyansh Sangule – To simply "ignore human physiological reaction times", should it be phrased as "Which of these gases will reach the innocent children first?"

Note that in the question, there is no mention of children at all.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Calvin Lin – This stand correct indeed, sir!

PS:The original question was about the reaction of the children to the gases. The question was edited.

Priyansh Sangule - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Calvin Lin – Instead of "Which of these gases will reach the innocent children first?" , I've edited it as "what would be the reaction of the children?" bcoz in your statement everyone will easily know that he has to apply diffusion laws.

Ashwin Upadhyay - 5 years, 9 months ago

Shouldn't this be under chemistry rather than logic?

Aditya Chauhan - 5 years, 9 months ago

OK edited.

Ashwin Upadhyay - 5 years, 9 months ago

But tear gas works (nearly) immediately, while laughing gas takes a little while ( 2-3 minutes for full effect) to work

Tyler Copeland - 1 year, 3 months ago

What to do, Cry or Laugh?

2 solutions

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