[Hodar]

the room was full of deadly gas ...

N2 is not deadly, or any more deadly than water. Our atmostphere is 90+% N2. Granted, we need 02 to live, so he couldn't stay in the area ... but surely he noticed that he was out of breath and couldn't oxygenate himself by breathing in the lab. Instinct would cause one to leave the area. This sounds like he was trapped in there, and murdered.

[Wonder Warthog]

"N2 is not deadly, or any more deadly than water. Our atmostphere is 90+% N2. Granted, we need 02 to live, so he couldn't stay in the area ... but surely he noticed that he was out of breath and couldn't oxygenate himself by breathing in the lab. Instinct would cause one to leave the area. This sounds like he was trapped in there, and murdered."

Wrong-o. If you enter a room (or closed area) entirely full of nitrogen, you only have one or two full breaths before losing consciousness. I know--because it happened to me. I was damned lucky to live. "Instinct" has nothing whatsoever to do with it, as there simply isn't TIME to recognize what is happening and take action.

[Old Professer]

N2 is not deadly, or any more deadly than water. Our atmostphere is 90+% N2.

Actually, it is more like 78% N2, 21% O2 and 1% of everything else, 90% of the 1% is Argon.

[Bob Mc]

"...but surely he noticed that he was out of breath and couldn't oxygenate himself by breathing in the lab..."

The feeling of being out of breath is caused by a build up of carbon dioxide in the blood. If you have an N2 atmosphere (with no oxygen) your body is still able to exhale CO2, so you don't feel the sensation of being out of breath. You get sleepy and pass out.

Pilots are trained how to recognize the onset of lack of oxygen, but often do not. Most people will not realize what is happening.

[UB355]

N2 by itself is not the problem. But the lack of Oxygen causes the breather to pass out almost instantly. I saw this happen once when the breating air tank for a SCBA had been hydrotested using N2. It was not emptied and refilled with breathing air. A firefighter ended up with the tank. He buckled and passed out almost instantly.

[stboz]

Big time wrong-o. Air is about 77% nitrogen, not 90. Air is about 21.9 % oxygen. Go under 19.5% and you're asking for trouble. Read up before posting.

[Semper Paratus]

N2 is not deadly, or any more deadly than water.

I would disagree, you go into a large room of nothing but N2
and you won't notice anything wrong with your breathing until it is too late.
The first sympton will be incipient blackout, stars in your head, you have seconds
and if your more than 15 feet in its too late.

[eastforker]

Our air is not 90% nitrogen,only about 78%.You don't notice running out of oxygen,you just pass out and die.

[maestro]

Your# 8)......uh, wasn't this 'played' on T.V. this week? On 'Murder She Wrote'??.....Jessica solved it!! It was N2.

[RadioAstronomer]

N2 is not deadly, or any more deadly than water. Our atmostphere is 90+% N2. Granted, we need 02 to live, so he couldn't stay in the area ... but surely he noticed that he was out of breath and couldn't oxygenate himself by breathing in the lab. Instinct would cause one to leave the area. This sounds like he was trapped in there, and murdered.

The suffocation reflex is generated by CO₂ not a lack of O₂. So, should you enter a room that has no oxygen, you will actually get euphoric before you pass out and die. Not unlike altitude hypoxia.

[bvw]

"Police said he did not know the room was full of deadly gas which had leaked from a liquid nitrogen cooling system. Unable to breathe, he collapsed and died."

Confined space, almost no oxygen. Two breaths -- dead. Actually happens, a standard danger in industry, one people are normally trained to avoid.

Doesn't matter if the gas is deadly or not. What is deadly, and quicker than heck, is the lack of oxygen.