ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Air-free technique

Air-free technique refers to a way of working in a laboratory or doing experiments where we try to keep the air out as much as possible. Why do we want to keep the air out? Well, air has a lot of different things in it, like dust, pollen, and even tiny living things called microbes. These things can sometimes interfere with our experiments or contaminate the things we are trying to study. So, by using an air-free technique, we can make sure that we have a clean and controlled environment to do our experiments in.

There are a few different ways to create an air-free environment. One way is by using a special type of container called a glovebox. A glovebox is like a big box with clear walls and gloves attached to it so that we can put our hands inside without letting any air in. The glovebox is filled with a gas called argon, which is a type of gas that doesn't react with other chemicals. By working inside the glovebox filled with argon, we can keep out all the air and any contaminants that might be in it.

Another way to create an air-free environment is by using special tools and techniques. For example, when we need to transfer liquids from one container to another, we use a syringe or a pipette. These tools have a mechanism that allows us to suck up the liquid without letting any air in. We can also use special chemicals called desiccants that absorb any moisture or oxygen in the air, making the environment air-free.

The air-free technique is used in many different fields of science, such as chemistry, biology, and physics. It helps us to study and understand things more accurately by eliminating the effects of air on our experiments. It allows us to control the conditions and make sure that any changes or reactions we see are actually caused by what we are studying and not by any contaminants in the air.

So, in a nutshell, air-free technique is a way of working in a clean and controlled environment where we keep the air out to ensure accurate and reliable results in our experiments. It helps scientists to better understand the things they are studying by eliminating the interference of air and contaminants.
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