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Laughing gasgalaxy gassweet airnitrousnosnangprotoxide of nitrogenhyponitrous oxidedinitrogen oxidedinitrogen monoxidenitro 10024-97-2Y Interactive imageInteractive image CHEBI:17045Y ChEMBL1234579N 923Y DB06690N D00102Y 948 QX1350000 K50XQU1029Y DTXSID8021066 InChI=1S/N2O/c1-2-3YKey: GQPLMRYTRLFLPF-UHFFFAOYSA-NYInChI=1/N2O/c1-2-3InChI=1/N2O/c1-2-3Key: GQPLMRYTRLFLPF-UHFFFAOYAP N#[N+][O-][N-]=[N+]=O Nitrous oxide(dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known aslaughing gasornitrous,among others,is achemical compound, anoxide of nitrogenwith theformulaN2O.‍​‍‍‍​‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍​‍ At room temperature, it is a colourlessnon-flammablegas, and has a slightly sweet scent and taste.At elevated temperatures, nitrous oxide is a powerfuloxidisersimilar to molecular oxygen. Nitrous oxide has significantmedical uses, especially insurgeryanddentistry, for itsanaestheticandpain-reducingeffects,and it is on theWorld Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.Its colloquial name, "laughing gas", coined byHumphry Davy, describes theeuphoriceffects upon inhaling it, which cause it to be used as arecreational druginducing a brief "high".When abused chronically, it may cause neurological damage through inactivation ofvitamin B12.It is also used as an oxidiser inrocket propellantsandmotor racingfuels, and as afrothing gasfor whipped cream. Nitrous oxide is also anatmospheric pollutant, with a concentration of 333parts per billion(ppb) in 2020, increasing at 1 ppb annually.It is a major scavenger ofstratospheric ozone, with an impact comparable to that ofCFCs.About 40% of human-caused emissions arefrom agriculture,as nitrogen fertilisers are digested into nitrous oxide by soil micro-organisms.As the third most importantgreenhouse gas, nitrous oxide substantially contributes toglobal warming.Reduction of emissions is an important goal in thepolitics of climate change.