Nitrox Question??

[ScubaDadMiami]

Nitrox is any mix that contains nitrogren and oxygen as its component gases (other than having some trace gases). It can be from below 21 percent oxygen to just under pure oxygen. The "nit" part is for the nitrogen; the "ox" part is for oxygen. Air is also a nitrox mix.

Since most divers started by diving air, once they started enriching the mix with higher oxygen concentrations, those enriched mixes came to be known as nitrox to distinguish them from air. However, technically, air as well as the other mixes are all nitrox. To distinguish one mix from the other, you will often see the abbreviation EANx, which is enriched (as in higher than normal oxygen content) air nitrox.

It's all the same stuff but to make it quick and easy, most people are referring to enriched mix when they use the term nitrox eventhough all oxygen nitrogen mixes are technically nitrox mixes.

 

[DrDuktayp]

My favorite t-shirt says--
"NITROx ROx Air SUx"

Gotta love it.

Some call it geezer gas as well. I am less tired after diving with enriched air (Nitrox)

DrDuktayp

 

[RichLockyer]

I thought the current correct name for anything other than 50/50 and O2 was 'stroke mix'

Nahh... Stroke Mix is 80/20 (EAN80) since strokes can't control their buoyancy at 20ft

EAN32 is perfectly DIR down to 100ft. EAN50 has always been the 70ft gas, but 50/50 heliox is becoming popular.

But ya... EAN32, 30/30, 21/35, 18/45, 15/55, 10/70, 50 and 100... that about covers it except for the "no mercy" 8% tmx.

 

[The Kraken]

What is the difference between oxygen and nitrox?
Oxygen is an element found in nature with a nuclear valence of 1. Oxygen cannot stand alone as an atom and therefore is generally refered to as O2.
In unpolluted air, oxygen comprises approximately 21% of the total of a given volume. Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% and the remaining 1% is made up of other elements (gasses).

The air in your tank is ambient air; that is, nothing has been done, other than filtration, to the basic chemical mix of the air. You are breathing air as you know it.

Nitrox is a breathing gas mixed with specific proportions of Oxygen and Nitrogen in order to reduce the amount of Nitrogen that be body absorbs while diving.

A case in point:

If you were to make a 70' dive on a nitrox mixture of 36% oxygen (EAN36) it would be equivalent to making a 50' on regular "air".

What this means to you is that using EAN36 you could make a 70' dive for a maximum 75 minute NDL dive where as with air you would be limited to a maximum 40 minute dive.

 

[Kim]

What is the difference between oxygen and nitrox?
Oxygen is an element found in nature with a nuclear valence of 1. Oxygen cannot stand alone as an atom and therefore is generally refered to as O2.

Well - I wasn't that good at Chemistry but I always thought that Oxygen had a valence of 2 - this is why it takes 2 Hydrogen atoms (Valence=1) to combine with a single Oxygen atom to give us H20. Although quite what this has to do with Nitrox I have no idea......:06:

 

[The Kraken]

Oops, brain fart, brain fart, brain fart, brain fart !!!!!

You are right !!!! I was wrong !!!

Valence of 2 : hence H2O, 2 hydrogen atoms to one oxygen

My mistake.

Been 42 years since my chem class.

I'm just glad I can still remember what valence means . . .

Old age has its benefits !!!