What is the main gas found in Earth's atmosphere?

What is the main gas found in Earth's atmosphere?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Carbon Dioxide
• C. Nitrogen
• D. Hydrogen

Answer: (C)

The primary gas in Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen, which makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume. Nitrogen is crucial for life, serving as a fundamental building block in amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids, and it plays a vital role in various biological processes. Additionally, nitrogen is relatively inert and does not readily react with other substances, allowing it to act as a stable filler in the atmosphere. Oxygen, while essential for the respiration of most living organisms and making up about 21% of the atmosphere, is not the predominant gas. Carbon dioxide is present in much smaller amounts, around 0.04%, and although it is significant in processes like photosynthesis and the greenhouse effect, it does not compare to the sheer volume of nitrogen. Hydrogen makes up a very minor amount in Earth's atmosphere due to its lightness and tendency to escape into space.

The primary gas in Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen, which makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume. Nitrogen is crucial for life, serving as a fundamental building block in amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids, and it plays a vital role in various biological processes. Additionally, nitrogen is relatively inert and does not readily react with other substances, allowing it to act as a stable filler in the atmosphere.

Oxygen, while essential for the respiration of most living organisms and making up about 21% of the atmosphere, is not the predominant gas. Carbon dioxide is present in much smaller amounts, around 0.04%, and although it is significant in processes like photosynthesis and the greenhouse effect, it does not compare to the sheer volume of nitrogen. Hydrogen makes up a very minor amount in Earth's atmosphere due to its lightness and tendency to escape into space.