What gas is odorless, colorless, tasteless and explosive in a concentration of five percent (5%) to fifteen percent (15%)?

What gas is odorless, colorless, tasteless and explosive in a concentration of five percent (5%) to fifteen percent (15%)?

• A. Hydrogen
• B. Methane
• C. Oxygen
• D. Nitrogen

Answer: (B)

In mine safety, recognizing which gas can ignite based on its concentration in air is crucial. Methane fits this description: it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, so you can’t tell it’s present without instruments. Its flammability range in air is about 5% to 15% by volume, meaning any mix within that window can ignite and explode if there’s an ignition source. This combination—undetectable by senses and having a precise explosive window—makes methane the primary explosive hazard described here in coal mining. Hydrogen is also flammable, but it has a broader, different range and isn’t the typical gas associated with this 5–15% range in mining contexts. Oxygen itself isn’t a flammable gas; it supports combustion but doesn’t ignite. Nitrogen is inert and does not burn.

In mine safety, recognizing which gas can ignite based on its concentration in air is crucial. Methane fits this description: it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, so you can’t tell it’s present without instruments. Its flammability range in air is about 5% to 15% by volume, meaning any mix within that window can ignite and explode if there’s an ignition source. This combination—undetectable by senses and having a precise explosive window—makes methane the primary explosive hazard described here in coal mining.

Hydrogen is also flammable, but it has a broader, different range and isn’t the typical gas associated with this 5–15% range in mining contexts. Oxygen itself isn’t a flammable gas; it supports combustion but doesn’t ignite. Nitrogen is inert and does not burn.