EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The most abundant naturally occurring gas is nitrogen (N2), which makes up about 78% of air. Oxygen (O2) is the second most abundant gas at about 21%. The inert gas argon (Ar) is the third most abundant gas at 0.93%.

Detailed explanation-2: -Nitrogen and oxygen account for 99 percent of the gases in dry air, with argon, carbon dioxide, helium, neon, and other gases making up minute portions.

Detailed explanation-3: -The other primary reason is that, unlike oxygen, nitrogen is very stable in the atmosphere and is not involved to a great extent in chemical reactions that occur there. Thus, over geological time, it has built up in the atmosphere to a much greater extent than oxygen.

Detailed explanation-4: -The abundance of gases in the atmosphere in the decreasing order is as follows: nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapour, carbon dioxide. Hence nitrogen constitutes 78% of the atmospheric air and is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. Q.

Detailed explanation-5: -nitrogen – 78% oxygen – 17% carbon dioxide – 4% other gases – 1%.