Nitrous is an often used abbreviation for the chemical compound nitrous oxide (N2O) also referred to as NOS. The term NOS is derived from the abbreviation of the company name Nitrous Oxide Systems (NOS), one of the pioneering companies in the development of nitrous oxide injection systems for automotive performance use. More recently, the term was used prominently in the film The Fast and the Furious, and not surprisingly, shortly after the film's release, various automotive newsgroups and forums featured unprecedented numbers of inquiries about "NOS" and how to install and use it. To a chemist, however, NOS refers to Nitric Oxide Synthase.Nitrous oxide is an oxidizing agent used to increase an engine's power output by allowing more fuel (usually gasoline or alcohol) to be burned than would normally be the case.
Overview
When nitrous oxide decomposes, a single mole will release 1/3 mole of oxygen gas, allowing an oxygen saturation of 33% to be reached. Air, which contains only 21% ox
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous