What is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere?

The atmosphere is composed of different types of chemical elements, which maintains existing life in the way we know it, from the conditions of space, which are lethal for it.

Gases are of the utmost importance for the vitality that exists on earth, and there are many types of it, but it can be calculated which is the one that occupies the largest proportion and the largest space in the atmosphere.

The most important for the sustenance of life are nitrogen, argon, and oxygen, which in turn have greater abundance.

What is the atmosphere?

The atmosphere is a set of gases, which make up the least dense and outermost layer of the planet, which vary in composition depending on the height, since different pressures are exerted on them, this is known colloquially as air, which is it extends between the first 11 kilometers of height starting from the ocean.

The main gases that are at this point are nitrogen with 78% followed by oxygen that makes up 21% and after this, argon with 0.93% lower on the scale is carbon dioxide, and water vapor .

It has great protective qualities against threats from space, such as meteorites that are disintegrated by this layer of gases, in addition to serving as a kind of shield against the ultraviolet rays emanating from the sun, which are extremely harmful to human beings. .

This has been transformed over the years, by the different species that have inhabited the earth, such as humans who breathe oxygen and expel carbon dioxide when they exhale, which is used by plants and vice versa. This also works in conjunction with the hydrosphere calming the hostile temperatures that could cause the night or the day.

The main gases in the atmosphere

As mentioned, this is made up of different types of gases, of which there are some that occupy more space than others, below is a list with the order of them.

Nitrogen

This makes up 78% of the entire atmosphere, being the most abundant gas on earth, it is a chemical element represented by N, which has an atomic weight of 14,01 and as an atomic number it was given 7

Oxygen

Occupying the second most abundant gases in the atmosphere, because it represents 28% of it, having an atomic number 8, which is greater than nitrogen, and this is represented by O, it is the gas that sustains life on earth, is a strong antioxidant agent, and possesses the second highest electronegativity of all elements

Argon

It makes up 0,93% of all air, a name coming from the Greeks, which in their language is written ????? and it is translated as inactive, because this gas is characterized by not reacting with other chemical elements, its atomic number is 18, and it is represented by the letters.

These being the first three and the main ones that make up the atmosphere, to later come some gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) with 0,4%, neon with 0,0018%, helium with 0,00052%, methane with 0,00017%, krypton with 0,0011% and hydrogen with 0,00005%, the remaining ones being almost non-existent such as nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide for example.

What is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere?

Because nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, which is necessary for the sustenance of life, because it makes up most of the air that all living beings breathe, it will go deeper with respect to it.

Etymology

Name from the Latin "Nitrium" which translates as generating or genes, which was given to him by Daniel Rutherford, a doctor, chemist, who in an experiment managed to absorb oxygen and carbon dioxide, leaving nitrogen as a residual element, this was in the year 1772, although the alchemists of the Middle Ages used to use it for certain experiments, according to some writings of these.

Nitrogen can be obtained by liquefaction, as well as by distillation, it should be noted that in the atmosphere there is an almost inexhaustible source of this element

Natural cycle 

Bacteria are responsible for producing nitrogen, through a complex process that is necessary for plants to grow and develop their life, for this it absorbs this component, and then serves as food for herbivorous animals, which when defecating, the bacteria convert the components back into pure nitrogen.

Uses of nitrogen

Nitrogen is used to create ammonia, which can be observed in everyday life, and which commercial leveling is very important, secondly there is the methane gas that originates after producing a reaction of carbon dioxide and hydrogen with the vapor of the Water.

The main use of this component is in refrigeration systems, whose function is to operate the refrigerators, the air conditioners of houses and cars, for which it is found in all the homes of society, liquid nitrogen has endless uses , which must be cautious about its temperature, because it could even melt the skin of those who are exposed to this material directly.

Ammonia is the main component of many commercial products of great importance for the daily activities of human beings, such as the production of plastic, that of special food for livestock, for the creation of fertilizers and many others.

Health effects of nitrogen

Due to the high consumption of nitrogen speaking in all senses, such as articles of use, and consumption, because most objects today contain plastic, and how it is used to create fertilizer, which is necessary to cultivate the crops of vegetables, vegetables and fruits, it is being indirectly consumed.

Some of the effects may be as follows:

• It causes a low level of storage in the body of vitamin A.
• It can cause a decrease in oxygen transport in the blood.
• Accelerates the production of nitrosamine, which is the main component that causes several types of cancer.
• It is a determining factor for the failure of the thyroid gland functions.