What is canned air? (and should we use it?)

#201

Melissa and Jam dive into the chemistry behind air dusters. They explore the components inside these cans, and how the physical properties of these chemicals can lead to rapid evaporation, cold burns, and potential hazards. Listeners will learn about the processes of pressure and boiling, the potential dangers of misuse, and how these air dusters work to clean keyboards and other surfaces. The episode is inspired by listener questions and personal anecdotes, making the complex chemistry accessible and engaging.

00:00 Introduction and Initial Curiosity

01:10 Chemistry of Air Dusters

01:35 Listener Questions and Real-Life Examples

04:47 Chemistry Lessons: Gas and Liquid States

06:23 Pressure and Temperature Effects

14:13 Explaining the Air Duster Mechanism

23:02 Understanding Gas Molecules and Boiling

23:45 Potential Dangers of Compressed Air

24:46 Chemical Burns and Frostbite

25:49 Substance Abuse Concerns

29:14 Safe Alternatives for Cleaning Keyboards

31:43 Summary and Chemistry Recap

37:47 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

43:11 Supporting the Show and Closing Remarks

References from this episode:

1. https://www.medicinenet.com/is_your_child_or_teen_huffing/views.htm


2. https://academic.oup.com/jbcr/article/24/4/234/4733835?login=true


3. https://aacijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13223-017-0202-0


4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10550887.2022.2027207


5. https://academic.oup.com/jbcr/article/24/4/234/4733835


6. https://academic.oup.com/jbcr/article/28/6/909/4636891


7. https://youtu.be/pMPKnF8WHf8


8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910720300086
   

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