Sulfar Hexaflouride

[TransformerRobot]

Is it safe to suck this gas in? I hear that it's supposed to make your voice deeper temporarily, now I really want to try it.

[mississippichem]

Is it safe to suck this gas in? I hear that it's supposed to make your voice deeper temporarily, now I really want to try it.

 

I've seen it done in YouTube videos and it appears to be a fairly common classroom demonstration used teach something about physical properties of gases. That said, I'm always hesitant to tell people to put chemicals in their mouths. There is an asphyxiation risk if you don't have access to fresh air, of course.

 

You should also be careful with gas regulators. I recommend that if you do this, you fill a balloon first. Putting your mouth around the output of a pressurized gas cylinder is asking for injury.

 

Also, SF₆ appears to be quite an expensive gas and its preparation from elementss involves F₂ gas which is just about as nasty as they come. If you can get your hands on some SF₆ I think it is safe to try just make sure you use common sense and have a friend present. Do not try to synthesize SF₆!

[TransformerRobot]

I've seen it done in YouTube videos and it appears to be a fairly common classroom demonstration used teach something about physical properties of gases. That said, I'm always hesitant to tell people to put chemicals in their mouths. There is an asphyxiation risk if you don't have access to fresh air, of course.

 

You should also be careful with gas regulators. I recommend that if you do this, you fill a balloon first. Putting your mouth around the output of a pressurized gas cylinder is asking for injury.

 

Also, SF₆ appears to be quite an expensive gas and its preparation from elementss involves F₂ gas which is just about as nasty as they come. If you can get your hands on some SF₆ I think it is safe to try just make sure you use common sense and have a friend present. Do not try to synthesize SF₆!

 

I was only planning on sucking it out of a balloon, not a pressurized gas cylinder.

[Phi for All]

I was only planning on sucking it out of a balloon, not a pressurized gas cylinder.

OK, but don't breathe any out: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2010/2010-03-02-091.html

 

Sulfur hexafluoride is the most potent greenhouse gas in existence. With a global warming potential 23,900 times greater than carbon dioxide, one pound of SF6 has the same global warming impact of 11 tons of carbon dioxide. It is also very persistent in the atmosphere with a lifetime of 3,200 years.

[imatfaal]

I have heard talk of people having trouble clearing really heavy gases from their lungs - it always struck as having a fair chance of being an urban myth; anyone know for certain?

[John Cuthber]

I have heard talk of people having trouble clearing really heavy gases from their lungs - it always struck as having a fair chance of being an urban myth; anyone know for certain?

Yes, anyone who knows that

1 it is a definitive property of gases that they spontaneously mix and also that

2 the purpose of the lungs is to get rid of a heavy gas (CO2)

will realise that it's a myth.

[insane_alien]

but if you're really really worried then you can do a handstand.

[TransformerRobot]

I have heard talk of people having trouble clearing really heavy gases from their lungs - it always struck as having a fair chance of being an urban myth; anyone know for certain?

 

Has MythBusters looked at that?

[John Cuthber]

Yes, watch this guy not die