Question

Refrigerants (i.e. R-12, R-22, R-500 etc.) in large quantities can cause suffocation because?

A) They smell strong and make breathing difficult
B) They are lighter than air and cause dizziness
C) They are heavier than air and displace oxygen
D) They sting the nose and cause sneezing

Answer 1

The correct answer is option C) They are heavier than air and displace oxygen.

Step-by-step explanation:

Refrigerants such as R-12, R-22, and R-500 pose a suffocation risk, primarily because they are heavier than air and displace oxygen (Option C). They do not necessarily have a strong odor or cause symptoms like sneezing or dizziness, which rules out options A and B. Their physical properties, like being heavier than air, allow them to accumulate in low-lying areas, reducing the concentration of oxygen and potentially leading to suffocation if present in large quantities.

Exercise 1.2.1 talks about Freon-12, a type of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), which is a gas at room temperature. Since it has a boiling point of -29.8°C, which is much lower than room temperature (25°C), it would be a gas under normal conditions.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), like the ones mentioned, have historically been used as refrigerants but are being phased out due to their harmful effects on the ozone layer. Compounds like hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22) are examples of chemicals that were used as alternatives to CFCs but are also being replaced due to their environmental impact.