flashdamp
A mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen that is found in mines, and ignited…A mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen that is found in mines, and ignited quickly within a safety lamp, but that is then extinguished quickly due to the exhaust products of the flame. Flashdamp can be heavier than air (called heavy flashdamp) or lighter than air (called light flashdamp), depending on the proportion of carbon dioxide.
Meaning
1 senses(uncountable)A mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen that is found in mines, and ignited quickly within a safety lamp, but that is then extinguished quickly due to the exhaust products of the flame. Flashdamp can be heavier than air (called heavy flashdamp) or lighter than air (called light flashdamp), depending on the proportion of carbon dioxide.
Origin
From flash + damp, with 'damp' having the meaning of 'gas', as in old German, modern DutchFrom flash + damp, with 'damp' having the meaning of 'gas', as in old German, modern Dutch, and Danish.
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Word family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable