Why do some gasses have an odour while others are odourless?

Question

Why is it you can smell sulphur but you can’t smell nitrogen or oxygen?

And why does the air around some hot appliances have a distinctive odour. I can smell that my clothes iron is hot.

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Odor is not a property of the gas.
Odor means that receptors in your nose interact with the gas, send electrical signals to your brain and the brain processes these signals to establish the sensation of ‘smell’.

Any sensation is an interaction between your sensors, your brain and the object that triggers your sensors.