What is the main gas found in the air we breathe?

The main gas found in the air we breathe is nitrogen, which makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless gas that is essential for the growth and development of living organisms, as it is a key component of amino acids and nucleotides, which are vital for protein synthesis and genetic material, respectively.

While oxygen is also crucial for life and constitutes about 21% of the atmosphere, it is not the most abundant gas present. Carbon dioxide and argon exist in much smaller quantities, with carbon dioxide being approximately 0.04% and argon about 0.93% of the atmosphere. Understanding the composition of the atmosphere is important for various fields of study, including environmental science and biology, as it allows us to comprehend processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, and the greenhouse effect.