How does the composition of air compare between nitrogen and oxygen?

The composition of air is primarily made up of nitrogen and oxygen, with nitrogen being the most abundant gas. In Earth's atmosphere, nitrogen accounts for about 78% of the air, while oxygen constitutes about 21%. This significant difference in percentages indicates that nitrogen indeed makes up a greater proportion of air compared to oxygen. Understanding this composition is crucial for various fields, including environmental science and medicine, as it affects everything from breathing in humans to the behavior of fires and other chemical reactions.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the composition of air: oxygen and nitrogen being approximately equal would suggest they are present in similar amounts, which is not the case, and stating that oxygen is the majority component is incorrect since nitrogen predominates. Furthermore, carbon dioxide, while an important trace gas in the atmosphere, constitutes only about 0.04% of the air, making the claim of it being predominant incorrect as well. Thus, the correct understanding of air composition is that nitrogen is indeed the major component.