Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Methane Gas

Back to basic

Methane CH4 -> 1 Carbon & 4 Hydrogen

The small amount of methane present in Earth's atmosphere comes from terrestial sources. The decomposition of animal and plant matter in an oxygen-defecient environment-swamps, marshes, bogs-produces methane. A common name of methane, mash gas, refers to the production of methane in this matter.

Bacteria that live in termines and in the digestive tracts of plant-eating amimals have the ability to produce methane from plant materials. The methane output of a large cow (belching and flatulence) can reach 20 liters per day.

*20 liter (1.06qt/1 liter)(1gal/4qt)=5.3 gal, so approximately 5 gallons if my calculations were right...

Methane gas is also found associated with coal and petroleum deposits. That associated with petroleum is most often recovered, processed, and marketed as natural gas. The processed natural gas is 85-95% methane by volume. Because methane is odorless, an odorant (smelly substance) must be added to the processed natural gas used in home heating. Otherwise, natural gas leaks could not be detected.

[Source: Chemical Principles by H. Stephen Stoker]

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