Science & Nature · 1
What gas gives the distinct 'rotten egg' smell that warns of natural gas leaks?
Answer
Hydrogen sulfide
While natural gas (methane) is odorless, utility companies add mercaptan compounds that smell like hydrogen sulfide as a safety measure. The 'rotten egg' smell itself comes from hydrogen sulfide.
💡 Did you know?
Hydrogen sulfide naturally occurs in hot springs and volcanic gases, giving them their characteristic sulfur smell.
Other options people guess
- Methane
- Propane
- Carbon monoxide
Topics
- replacement-bank
- legacy-cleanup
Know your science & nature trivia?
Play a free Science & Nature quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More Science & Nature facts
Science & Nature
What simple sugar does the brain primarily use for energy?
The human brain uses about 120 grams of glucose daily, roughly the amount in two bananas.
Science & Nature
What element did Marie Curie name after her homeland of Poland?
Polonium is so radioactive that a gram of it heats itself to 500°C from its own decay.
Science & Nature
What planet in our solar system rotates on its side at a 98-degree tilt?
Uranus experiences 42-year-long seasons due to its sideways rotation and 84-year orbit around the Sun.
Science & Nature
Which element has the highest melting point of all metals?
Tungsten is so heat-resistant it's used in the nose cones of spacecraft re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
Science & Nature
How fast does light travel in vacuum?
When you look at the Sun, you're seeing it as it was 8 minutes and 20 seconds ago.
Science & Nature
Which type of animal is a seahorse?
Male seahorses become pregnant in a specialized brood pouch and mate for life, bonding by entwining tails.