gas

That form of matter in which particles tend continually to diverge from each other, so that the body itself tends constantly to increase in volume in all directions and fills the whole of the ve el in which it is contained. The term, without qualification, denotes, in common parlance, illuminating gas. ammoniacal g. Ammonia, aqueous g. The vapor of water, coal g. See under coal. g. chamber. A large gas container, g. interchange. The exchange, by diffusion through a respiratory membrane, of carbon dioxid for oxygen. The oxygen may be taken from the atmospheric air, as in aerial respiration, or from the air di olved in water, as in aquatic respiration, g. of the blood. The gas extracted from the blood in an air pump. It consists of oxygen and carbon dioxid, with a very small quantity of nitrogen, g. of the intestines. See intestinal g. g. pump. An apparatus for extracting the gases from the blood or other liquids of the body. Many different forms are described, but the principle used in general is to produce a torricelian vacuum by mercury to which the blood is exposed at a temperature of 40 ° C. g. tar. See coal tar under tar. illuminating g. See coal g., under coal and water g., and oil g., under gas. intestinal canal. g. The the alimentary Theyg's are present in in part due to swallowed air, in part to carbon dioxid, liberated in the stomach and intestines, and in part to putrefaction due to microorganisms. The amount and character of the g. varies with the food and the health of the individual. The chief constituents are oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxid; methane and hydrogen sulphid are frequently present in varying quantities, intoxicating g. See laughing g. laughing g. Nitrogen monoxid; so called on account of its exhilarating effects when inhaled, liquefiable g. A g. capable of reduction to the liquid state, marsh g. Methane, natural g. Illuminating g. occurring naturally in coal strata and emitted from wells, etc.; occurring especially in western Pennsylvania • and other regions rich in coal and petroleum, oil g. 1. The mixture of g's obtained by distilling oil; used for illuminating on a small scale. 2. See water g. olefiant g. See ethylene, peat g. A g. obtained by the dry distillation of peat, petroleum g. G. obtained by distillation of petroleum, sewer g. A mixture of g's consisting chiefly of methane and carbon dioxid, and of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, ammonia, acetic, lactic, and butyric acids, hydrogen sulphid, and various mercaptans and sulphur ethers in small quantities. It may contain pathogenic microorganisms, water g. An illuminating g., consisting chiefly of hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxid, and carbon dioxid, made by blowing steam through glowing coal or coke and afterward adding a hydrocarbon and again subjecting the mixture to heat to render it more stable.