Air-Properties of Air

Air is defined as a mixture of gases comprising 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen and a trace of argon, carbon dioxide, and various other components. 

All gases, including air, possess a unique set of properties that guide the reactions they undergo. The gas composition is due to the large number of components that are random but are constant too. 

Properties of air

Air is a crucial part of our lives. The air is vital for the respiration of living organisms, be it for plants, animals, or human species. Different components are present in the air, such as dust particles, water vapour, etc. 

Let us now know about different properties of air in a detailed manner:

1. Colourless and odourless: Air neither has any odour nor colour. It is transparent, and is essential for all living beings. If air moves in a specific direction, it is defined as wind. 
2. Occupies a large amount of space: Like any other matter, air also has a mass and a weight. For instance, if a dipping bottle of water falls into the water and a bubble tends to come out, the water bottle is not empty; it is filled with air. When we slightly tilt the bottle, water starts filling in the bottle. Thus, we can say that air occupies the space in an empty bottle. 
3.  Air implies pressure in all directions: Due to its weight, air usually exerts pressure in all directions; as the height increases, the pressure of air decreases. For instance, the balloon starts expanding when we begin filling the air in the balloon due to air pressure. 
4. Expansion of air: Expanding is an essential property of air. In a heated environment, air starts occupying a more significant amount of space. It starts becoming thinner due to expansion as well. This is the reason warm wind has less pressure than cold wind. 
5. Compression of air: Air is compressible. For instance, if we open the bottle of cold drink, the carbon-di-oxide comes out due to pressure, signifying that air is compressed inside the bottle. 
6. Effects of temperature: Air has a significant effect on temperature. If the air temperature rises, then air molecules of the motion also get faster. 
7. Enforcement of height on air: Air is highly enforced by height. If there is an increase in the height, the air pressure falls. This is the reason if someone decides to climb Everest or any high peak, they carry cylinders with themselves as oxygen gas is thinner at mountains or places with higher altitudes. 

Composition of Air 

Air comprises many components such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. Not only for breathing, but the air is essential for many other abiotic components surrounding us in the atmosphere. 

As mentioned above, the air is divided into different components, which are segregated into 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and the rest are segregated into other types of gases. 

Chemical Composition of Air

The composition of air in the atmosphere does not change when it varies from one layer to the other. However, the dust particles and composition of air differ depending on the layer present in the atmosphere.

Some of the interesting facts about the chemical composition of air are as follows:

1. Maximum moisture that air carries in an atmosphere depends on the temperature. 
2. Air composition does not change until it reaches the level of 10,000 m.
3. Temperature diminishes in the air for each 100-m vertical height. 
4. The standard atmosphere is the unit of pressure defined as the mean atmospheric pressure at sea level. The pressure exerted by the 760 mm column of mercury at the sea level and the standard gravity of 32.174 sq ft is known as standard atmosphere.
5. Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon-di-oxide present in the air are defined as principal gases of air. 
6. Gases like hydrogen, helium, and neon, also known as trace gases, are present in lesser amounts in the atmosphere. 

Conclusion

Air has its mass and weight. Compared to other gases, the present composition of oxygen and nitrogen is more. Air pressure and height are inversely proportional to each other. Air takes the shape of any container it takes place in, indicating that it occupies volume. 

Thus, with the help of this article, we studied different properties of different air components, including its physical properties as well.