Composition of Gases We Breathe in the Atmosphere

Anything which occupies space is known as matter. Air is known for its inevitable behaviour in our life. As our earth is surrounded by a blanket of air in different layers called the atmosphere. There are so many elements which are responsible for the existence of life, but among all of them, air is considered as most important, as no organism can survive without air even for a second. The major role of air is in the breathing process, along with that air is an abiotic component of the environment like other abiotic component examples: wind, rain, climate, soil, etc. 

Composition of Gases:

Air is made up of various gases in different compositions. Various gases present in the atmosphere are argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide in different proportions and some gases also present in very small amounts like argon, water vapour and other gases. Air also has various microorganisms in a very small amount like bacteria, spores along with that dust particle are also there. 

Nature of Gases:

We cannot see air, i.e. they are in invisible form and they are free to flow everywhere as they exist in a gaseous state. Because of all these properties of gases, it is also known as states of matter. As it has weight, compressible in nature and also takes space to occupy. Properties of gases are studied under different physical and chemical conditions. 

Chemical Composition of Air:

Mixtures of various gases in different compositions are termed as air, and air is present on the earth's atmosphere. Air is mainly colourless in nature and also odourless i.e. you can’t feel gas. It atmosphere gases are present in different composition i.e. Nitrogen 78%; oxygen 21% and in the remaining 1% different gases and water vapour are present. Amount of water vapour varies from place to place as the arid region has less moisture percent than a wetland. As the moisture carrying capacity depends majorly on temperature. Composition of air does not mainly but if you are at highest then it will change.  

Some other component of air is: 

Some other components of air are mentioned below:

• Sulfur dioxide(SO₂) 

• Methane(CH₄ )

• Nitrous oxide(N₂O) 

• Ozone(O₃) 

• Nitrogen dioxide(NO₂) 

• Iodine(I₂) 

• Carbon Monooxide(CO) 

• Ammonia(NH₃) 

Properties of Gases:

As gases are one form of matter like other matter. There are different properties which are present in the air. Some of the important properties are discussed below:

1. Colourless and odourless: Air is colourless and odourless as it can't be seen by eyes. We can only feel the air. All organisms need air for breathing for their survival.

2. Occupy space: Like other matter, air also occupies space. For example: on blowing a balloon expands as air is being filled inside the balloon. 

3. Air exerts pressure: As air has weight and because of that air is exerted as it has a weight which is commonly known as air pressure. Mixtures of gases are mainly denser near high altitudes as gravity rule is also applied on air. This is the reason behind the lesser density of air in the mountainous areas. 

4. Expansion: Another famous property of gas is its expanding property. On heating, it expands and occupies more space. As the expanding thickness of air decreases. 

Gases We Breathe: 

The air which we inhale and exhale is not pure oxygen or carbon dioxide, it's a mixture of gas. We all are familiar with the fact that our body is made up of different cells and all these cells require oxygen for their survival and for performing day to day functioning. So for all these functions, it must respire by which supply of oxygen occurs throughout the cells. When we inhale we require oxygen and when we exhale we give out carbon dioxide. 

Composition of Gases We Inhale:

Our earth surface is surrounded by an atmosphere which is a mixture of various gases like 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide; 0.5% water vapour. During the process of inhalation, we inhale the same mixture of air from the nose. When respiration occurs we take the same composition of air which is already there in the atmosphere. Example: when organisms are underwater they breathe air having more quantity oxygen or helium. 

Composition of Gases We Exhale: 

During the exhalation process, we breathe out almost the same air, which we inhale. One thing which changes during the exhalation and inhalation process is the percentage of oxygen and carbon dioxide. As during the inhalation process percentage of oxygen is 21% and of carbon dioxide is 0.04% we take in. Whereas during the exhalation process, we exhale out 16.4% of oxygen and 4.4% percentage of carbon dioxide. This change is because our cells require more oxygen to produce energy for various metabolic processes to occur and carbon dioxide comes out as a byproduct.