The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Acetylene is a highly flammable artificial gas used in welding and cutting metal. In its pure form, it is colorless and odorless, but in its most common form it is mixed with traces of phosphene that give it a garlic-like odor. Originally, discovered in 1836 by English chemist Edmund Day, acetylene was first synthetically produced by French chemist Marcelin Berthelot in 1862.
Mass quantities of acetylene are most commonly produced for commercial use from a reaction of calcium carbide with water. It can also be produced by passing hydrocarbon gas through an electric arc and by the partial decomposition of methane in air or oxygen at high temperatures. As an extremely unstable gas, acetylene may explode if a 2.5 percent mixture of air in acetylene, or a 25 percent mixture of acetylene in air occurs or if it is subject to pressure exceeding fifteen pounds per square inch (6.81 kg psi). In addition, acetylene is highly poisonous when inhaled. Thus, as a safety measure acetylene is stored and transported in cylinders. Acetone is added to prevent the acetylene from breaking down and exploding.
Acetylene is one of two gasses used in welding torches. The acetylene torch was developed in 1903 by the French inventors, Fouch and Picard. Acetylene is combined with oxygen from a separate tank at the torch tip, where a high-temperature flame, or oxyacetylene flame, of about 6000° F (3315° C) softens the edges of pieces of metal so they can be fused together.
The acetylene torch is also used for cutting metal. In this process, a pure acetylene flame is first used to heat the metal and then an oxygen flame is applied separately to cut the heated metal.
Acetylene has other industrial uses, mainly in the production of synthetic compounds such as vinyl chloride, synthetic rubber (neoprene) and solvents.