Methane and propane are odorless

Did you know that methane and propane are actually odorless gases?!
If this is the case, what is that awful odor of rotten eggs you smell in your kitchen if you accidentally leave the gas open?

It is an odorant (usually tetrahydrothiophene) having the only purpose to make detectable the flammable gases it is mixed with, whenever a leak occurs!

The same trick applies for natural gas that is mostly methane or  GPL (or LPG or liquified petroleoum gas) that is mostly propane or butane.



(image source)



References
http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/chemfs/fs/Methane.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_petroleum_gas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydrothiophene

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