🔍 Key Concepts

• Physical properties of methane as a common flammable gas • Difference between odor, reactivity (activity), corrosiveness, and volatility • How methane is handled and detected in industrial and maritime settings

💭 Think About

• Think about how methane is detected on ships or in industry. Do people rely on smell, instruments, or visible signs? • Ask yourself which property is most associated with a gas that is widely used as a fuel and present in natural gas: does it aggressively attack metals/skin, readily react with many substances, or mainly present a fire/explosion hazard? • Consider what makes a gas dangerous in enclosed spaces on board: is it mainly because it’s corrosive or because of how easily it can form flammable mixtures with air?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify the basic safety data for methane: what is usually added to household natural gas so leaks can be noticed? • Confirm whether methane is known to corrode tanks, piping, or cargo systems, or if it usually requires special corrosion-resistant materials. • Check whether the key hazard classification of methane emphasizes it as a flammable/flammability-related gas rather than as a corrosive or highly reactive chemical.