logoalt Hacker News

Dylan16807 • yesterday at 6:22 AM • 1 reply • view on HN

Of course air is mostly nitrogen. But if you replace 10% of the air with pure nitrogen you go into OSHA-angering levels of oxygen depletion, and if you replace 25-30% you get into serious danger.

Not easily achieved in a tunnel, but much more easily achieved in a garage.


Replies

somenameforme • yesterday at 8:07 AM

10% of the air replaced with pure nitrogen would be 0.8 * 0.9 + 1.0 * 0.1 = 82% nitrogen, 18% oxygen. That's perfectly safe for brief exposure, which is all it would be before you return to ambient levels.

To create a dangerous scenario you've gotta do something like somehow gas out your entire tank in a garage and then just stand around for a while breathing it in. Kind of an improbable scenario unless somebody is trying a really weird suicide attempt.

➕ show 1 reply