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Air: Definition and Meaning
Air is the most essential and indispensable element of earth’s atmosphere. It is the basic element of life, as without air, we cannot imagine any sort of life on earth. Human life, animal life, plant life all needs air to live. However, there are different types of air, in which nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and argon are the most important. It is important to note that there is no air in the outer space.
What is Air?
Air is the mixture of several gases and tiny (invisible) dust particles, which largely present in the lower atmosphere of the earth. The majority of gases that found in lower atmosphere are nitrogen (around 78%), oxygen (about 21%), and in remaining 1%, there are various gases including carbon dioxide, argon, etc.
Characteristics of Air
Following are the major characteristics of air:
It is invisible, but it occupies space; however, the volume occupied by a given amount of gas varies with the temperature and pressure of the gas.
It has no specific shape; so, it can take any shape;
It has mass; so, it exerts pressure (known as air pressure or atmospheric pressure);
It can be compressed;
It is odorless as well as colorless;
Functions of Air
Following are the major functions of air:
Sustain Life and Growth through Respiration: For human being and animals, oxygen is the most essential element, as they inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. On the contrary, plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, but they reverse the process in the night. This is how the balance of ecosystem maintained. Besides, nitrogen is an important element for the growth of plants.
Combustion: More often, human being use fire, especially in many industries and for cooking food, but you know – no fire can take place in the absence of oxygen.
Help in Transportation: Without air, sound and heat, both cannot travel. So, it is the medium through which heat and sound travel from one place to another place. Besides, it also helps airplane in taking off as well as in flying.
Regulation of Weather and Climate: Presence and movement of air decide the type of weather and pattern of climate. Air circulation, temperature, and water vapor collectively play major role in constituting a particular type of weather.
Temperature Regulation: Air helps greatly in regulating the temperature. It distributes the higher temperature air towards lower temperature air and likewise, balances the distribution of temperature.
Helps Plant in Photosynthesis: Through photosynthesis, plants make their food and air elements like carbon dioxide and oxygen play major role in the process of photosynthesis.
Helps to Complete Water-cycle: Water-cycle is one of the most essential processes of our environment. The regular process of water-cycle, maintains and balances the energy level and water content in the environment. And, air is the most essential element that makes water-cycle possible.
Issues with Air
Despite the fact, that air is the most essential element of life; nonetheless, because of excessive and unmanaged activities of human beings, the quality of air is decreasing. The level of pollution in the environment became major concern at international level. The major sources of air pollution are unregulated human activities, industrial pollution, and some other natural activities like volcanic eruption. Moreover, these types of air pollutions gradually becoming threat for the human as well as plant lives.
The major elements that pollute air are excessive increasing level of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and some other gases. Besides, dust particles, smoke, ash, are other elements, which are polluting the air. The percussions of air pollution are multi-dimensional and irreparable, as it causing damage to all sorts of lives and affecting environment badly by disturbing the ecological balance.
Conclusion
Amidst all the essential functions, during the ancient and medieval period, air was not only the source of life, but it was also the friend of human being, as it helped by many means. One of the most important use of air was using it in navigation. Moreover, because of having the most essential feature to sustain life on earth, air must be taken care, especially from the pollutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main components of air?
Major components of air are – Nitrogen (about 78%), Oxygen (about 21%), and in remaining 1%, there are many other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon, etc.
How is air different from other gases?
Air is different from other gases in many sense. Primarily, air is mixture of gases and gases are an individual element. Air, which is mixture of gases, constitute atmosphere, whereas a gas is one of the constituents or elements of the atmosphere.
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