Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 02/02/2012 13:05:05

Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: thedoc on 02/02/2012 13:05:05: Hello - I really enjoy your podcast.

I don't know when you might be discussing something related to this but ...Â I was listening to a Johnny Cash tune the other day and he wanted to get away from this woman and "go where the air ain't been breathed before". Is that possible (that the air hasn't been breathed before)? Especially in light of the thousands of species that have preceded us. Thanks.

Tom Aust
Northern California
Asked by Tom Aust

Visit the webpage for the podcast in which this question is answered. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/show/20120129/)

[chapter podcast=3795 track=12.01.29/Naked_Scientists_Show_12.01.29_9648.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/12.01.29/Naked_Scientists_Show_12.01.29_9648.mp3)
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: Don_1 on 03/11/2011 11:56:28: I should think just about every atom of our atmosphere has done the rounds many times over.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: Bored chemist on 03/11/2011 18:47:24: Not quite all of them. There are some that certainly have not.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: neilep on 03/11/2011 20:41:29: I saw a piece of air today and it looked brand newe !
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: CliffordK on 03/11/2011 20:52:35: Quote from: neilep on 03/11/2011 20:41:29
I saw a piece of air today and it looked brand newe !

You must have been visiting Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland!!!

Other than the volcanic origin of components in the air, most of the Tritium and Carbon-14 components in the air come from the sun, and are relatively new.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: neilep on 04/11/2011 00:07:21: Quote from: CliffordK on 03/11/2011 20:52:35
Quote from: neilep on 03/11/2011 20:41:29
I saw a piece of air today and it looked brand newe !

You must have been visiting EyjafjallajÃ¶kull, Iceland!!!

Other than the volcanic origin of components in the air, most of the Tritium and Carbon-14 components in the air come from the sun, and are relatively new.

Funny that !..were ewe taking the tour too ? [;)]

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Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: CliffordK on 04/11/2011 01:42:50: Quote from: neilep on 04/11/2011 00:07:21
Quote from: CliffordK on 03/11/2011 20:52:35
You must have been visiting EyjafjallajÃ¶kull, Iceland!!!
Funny that !..were ewe taking the tour too ? [;)]

Nope, never been there.
But, it is the coolest name of a mountain that I know...
Did you learn how to pronounce it? I'm sure it is pronounced just like it is spelled [:-\]
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: Geezer on 04/11/2011 05:53:59: Some bits, yes. Most (all?) of the oxygen in the atmosphere was produced because living things exhaled it.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: CliffordK on 04/11/2011 06:12:38: Quote from: Geezer on 04/11/2011 05:53:59
Some bits, yes. Most (all?) of the oxygen in the atmosphere was produced because living things exhaled it.
The question was about breathing... not photosynthesis.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: Geezer on 04/11/2011 06:17:24: Quote from: CliffordK on 04/11/2011 06:12:38
Quote from: Geezer on 04/11/2011 05:53:59
Some bits, yes. Most (all?) of the oxygen in the atmosphere was produced because living things exhaled it.
The question was about breathing... not photosynthesis.

What's the difference? Plants have to breathe too ewe know.
Title: Has all the air in the world been breathed before?
Post by: RD on 04/11/2011 06:48:15: Some of the gases in the air we breathe have come from decay of heavy radioactive elements in rocks ...

Quote
Other important examples of radiogenic elements are radon and helium, both of which form during the decay of heavier elements in bedrock.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiogenic

So have never been breathed before.