In this fantastic article, we’re going to be studying the celebrities of the gas world. Today you’ll be learning about which gas is number one, which is worth the most on the market, and much more. This is a gas extravaganza!
The Hottest Gas
When looking at celebs, who’s hot and who’s not is always a topic of great contention, and it’s certainly a matter of great interest to gas welders. Hotter gases will slice through sturdy metals with greater ease, but while some gases may be hotter than others, there’s also the question of affordability to balance alongside the flame’s strength.
Currently, oxy-acetylene is the go-to gas for many experienced welders and can reach temperatures of around 3,500 degrees Celsius, but propylene is a good contender with it’s greater stability and lack of soot production. On the other hand, propylene only reaches temperatures around 2,800 degrees Celsius.
Aside from welding, acetylene has also been used in the creation of portable lighting, particularly in the 1800s. It is also used in the synthesis of vitamin A and E.
The Coolest Gas
Being hot isn’t the be-all and end-all of fame though; keeping your cool is pretty important too, and no gas is cooler than rubidium. A lab in the University of Alberta achieved the coldest gas in the universe on the 27th January in 2017 by slowing down particles of rubidium, which caused the atoms to lose heat. By the end of the experiment, the atoms were almost absolute zero – the lowest temperature possible, according to current theory, and equivalent to -273.15 degrees Celsius.
Rubidium has a variety of uses; it is often used in vacuums as an element that removes trace gases from vacuum tubes, but it is also used in creating some types of glass.
The Most Expensive Gas on the UK Market
General gas prices in Europe are among the highest worldwide, but for some elements, the price is sky high, regardless of where you’re purchasing it from. These gasses are extremely rare, which is part of the reason why they are so expensive.
Francium is one such element and costs an astonishing £790 million per gram. Unfortunately, Francium disintegrates within 22 minutes. You know what they say about the brightest lights burning the fastest. There are currently no uses for Francium outside of scientific research.
The Most Popular Gas on Earth
Competitions for the most popular gas on earth goes to nitrogen, which is the most abundant in our atmosphere and constitutes around 78% of the air we breath. Oxygen, by contrast, makes up a mere 20%, with argon and a few others pulling up the final 2%.
Nitrogen gas bottles have a number of uses, including motorsports, air conditioning and food preservation for the home or business. It requires higher pressure tanks for safety which can make tanks heavier and more expensive. With Adams Gas, you can purchase refillable tanks and bottles so you’ll never pay twice for a container.
The Most Popular Gas in the Universe
The title of Miss Universe in the gas world goes to none other than hydrogen. Hydrogen is also a rather old contender, thought to be one of the first formed when the universe was born. Hydrogen is extremely abundant in space, and is used down on Earth for a number of applications. One extravagant use of hydrogen is as rocket fuel, but it’s also used as a welding gas.
The Gas Stars
Stars are also made of gas – mostly hydrogen and helium – but carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and often find their way into the mix. Stars convert hydrogen into helium at their centres, where huge nuclear reactions occur, giving off light at the same time.
Of all the stars in the universe, VY Canis Majoris is the largest known to man and is located in the constellation Canis Major. There must be so much hydrogen in this star, and you can watch the video below for an idea of its size.
The Most Popular Gas
The most popular gas in our opinion is a solution of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon, and a few other elements in the mix. That’s right, we’re talking about air – without it, life on Earth wouldn’t exist, and neither would this blog.
If you’re in the market for some more gas, we have plenty of portable gas bottles for your consumption. If you need some of the stuff that stars create – Helium – then we can provide you with the perfect refillable canister, for this and so many other gases.