Composition
Air- Mixture of gases (+ a small amounts of dust)
I- Nitrogen gas- most abundant
a. approx 78%
b. inert/unusable to most orgs
c. nitrogen cycle
2. Oxygen- 2nd most abundant
a. approx 21.%
b. used for respiration by living things
c. decomposition
d. weathering
e. produced by photosynthesis
f. uses almost = its uses
3. Rare gases: Argon, Neon, and Helium
4. Carbon Dioxide
a. 0.03%
b. photosynthesis
c. Carbon Dioxide/Oxygen Cycle
d. Carbon Dioxide produced=Carbon Dioxide used in nature
e. Human activity upsets balance-List types:
f. Impt in earth’s weather
5. Water Vapor
a. up to 4% of air or completely absent
b. Impt for weather********
Air pollution: 2 sources- Natural and Artificial either solids
or gases
Natural Solids: Volcanic dust and ash, bacteria
Artificial Solids: Smoke (fossil fuels), particles (asbestos)
Artificial Gases: Auto exhaust (CO, NO’s and hydrocarbons)
Fossil fuel burning- sulfur dioxide.