The main component of air. depression, irritability, sleep disturbance

Every day we take about 20 thousand breaths. It is enough to stop the flow of oxygen into the blood for 7–8 minutes for irreversible changes to occur in the cerebral cortex. The air supports many bio chemical reactions in our body. And our health largely depends on its quality.

text: Tatyana Gaverdovskaya

Every day we take about 20 thousand breaths. It is enough to stop the flow of oxygen into the blood for 7-8 minutes for irreversible changes to occur in the cerebral cortex. Air supports many biochemical reactions in our body. And our health largely depends on its quality.

Atmospheric air at the Earth's surface normally consists of nitrogen (78.09%), oxygen (20.95%), and carbon dioxide (0.03-0.04%). The remaining gases together occupy less than 1% by volume, these include argon, xenon, neon, helium, hydrogen, radon and others. However, emissions industrial enterprises and transport violate this ratio of components. In Moscow alone, from 1 to 1.2 million tons of harmful emissions are emitted into the air. chemical substances per year, that is, 100-150 kg for each of the 12 million residents of Moscow. It’s worth thinking about what we breathe and what can help us resist this “gas attack.”

Shortest way

The human lungs have a surface area of up to 100 m2, which is 50 times greater than the area of the skin. In them, the air is in direct contact with the blood, in which almost all of the substances contained in it dissolve. From the lungs, bypassing the detoxification organ - the liver, they act on the body 80-100 times stronger than through the gastrointestinal tract when swallowed.

The air we breathe is polluted by about 280 toxic compounds. This is salt heavy metals(Cu, Cd, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn), nitrogen and carbon oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, etc. In calm weather, all these harmful compounds settle and create a dense layer near the ground - smog. Influenced ultraviolet rays During the hot period, harmful gas mixtures are converted into more harmful substances - photooxidants. Every day a person inhales up to 20 thousand liters of air. And in a month big city may reach a toxic dose. As a result, immunity decreases and respiratory and neurological diseases occur. Children especially suffer from this.

We are taking action

1. Tea made from calendula, chamomile, sea buckthorn and rose hips will help protect the body from the penetration of heavy metals into cells.

2. For removal toxic substances Some plants are successfully used, for example, coriander (cilantro). According to experts, you need to eat at least 5 g of this plant per day (about 1 tsp).

3. Garlic, sesame seeds, ginseng and many other plant products also have the ability to bind and remove heavy metals. Apple juice, which contains a lot of pectins - natural adsorbents, is also effective.

City without oxygen

Residents of the metropolis constantly experience a lack of oxygen due to industrial emissions and pollution. Thus, when burning 1 kg of coal or firewood, more than 2 kg of oxygen is consumed. One car absorbs as much oxygen in 2 hours of operation as a tree releases in 2 years.

The oxygen concentration in the air is often only 15-18%, while the norm is about 20%. At first glance, this not a big difference- only 3-5%, but for our body it is quite noticeable. Oxygen levels in the air of 10% or below are lethal to humans. Unfortunately, there is not enough oxygen in natural conditions exists only in city parks (20.8%), suburban forests (21.6%) and on the shores of seas and oceans (21.9%). The situation is aggravated by the fact that every 10 years the area of the lungs decreases by 5%.

Oxygen increases mental ability, the body's resistance to stress, stimulates coordinated work internal organs, improves immunity, promotes weight loss, and normalizes sleep. Scientists have calculated that if there were 2 times more oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere, we could run hundreds of kilometers without getting tired.

Oxygen makes up 90% of the mass of a water molecule. The body contains 65-75% water. The brain makes up 2% of total mass body and consumes 20% of the oxygen entering the body. Without oxygen, cells do not grow and die.

We are taking action

1. To adequately saturate the body with oxygen, you need to walk in the forest for at least one hour every day. Over the course of one year, a typical tree produces the amount of oxygen required for a family of 4 people over the same period.

2. To replenish the oxygen deficiency in the body, doctors recommend drinking salted and mineral alkaline water, lactic acid drinks (skim milk, whey), and juices.

3. Oxygen cocktails help get rid of hypoxia. In terms of its effect on the body, a small portion of a cocktail is equivalent to a full-fledged walk in the forest.

4. Oxygen therapy is a treatment method based on breathing a gas mixture with an increased (relative to the oxygen content in the air) oxygen concentration.

Home trap

According to WHO experts, city dwellers spend about 80% of their time indoors. Scientists have found that indoor air is 4-6 times dirtier than outside air and 8-10 times more toxic. These are formaldehyde and phenol from furniture, some types of synthetic fabrics, carpets, harmful substances from building materials(for example, carbamide from cement can release ammonia), dust, pet hair, etc. At the same time, in urban areas there is much less oxygen, which leads to oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) in people.

A gas stove can also negatively affect the atmosphere in the house. The air of gasified buildings, in comparison with outside air, contains 2.5 times more harmful nitrogen oxides, 50 times more sulfur-containing substances, phenol - by 30-40%, carbon oxides - by 50-60%.

But the main scourge of premises is carbon dioxide, the main source of which is man. We exhale from 18 to 25 liters of this gas per hour. Recent studies by foreign scientists have shown that carbon dioxide negatively affects the human body even in low concentrations. In residential premises, carbon dioxide should not exceed 0.1%. In a room with a carbon dioxide concentration of 3-4%, a person suffocates, headaches, tinnitus appear, and the pulse slows down. However, in small quantities (0.03-0.04%) carbon dioxide is necessary to maintain physiological processes.

We are taking action

1. It is very important that the air in the room is “light”, i.e. ionized. With a decrease in the number of air ions, oxygen is less absorbed by red blood cells, and hypoxia is possible. The air of cities contains only 50-100 light ions per 1 cm³, and tens of thousands of heavy (uncharged) ions. In the mountains the highest air ionization is 800-1000 per 1 cm³ or more.

2. According to a study conducted by the US space agency, some houseplants act as effective biofilters. Chlorophytum and nephrolepis fern help in the fight against formaldehyde. Xylene and toluene, which are released, for example, by varnishes, are neutralized by Ficus Benjamin. Azalea can cope with ammonia compounds. Sansevieria, philodendron, ivy, and dieffenbachia produce a lot of oxygen and absorb harmful substances.

3. Don’t forget about regular ventilation. This is especially important in the bedroom, where people spend a third of their lives.

Dangers on the road

Motor transport supplies the lion's share of air pollutants: for Moscow it is about 93%, for St. Petersburg - 71%. There are almost 4 million cars in Moscow, and their number is growing every year. By 2015, experts believe that Moscow's vehicle fleet will amount to more than 5 million vehicles. In a month, the average passenger car burns as much oxygen as 1 hectare of forest produces in a year, while annually releasing approximately 800 kg of carbon monoxide, about 40 kg of nitrogen oxides and about 200 kg of various hydrocarbons.

The most serious danger for those who frequently use cars is carbon monoxide. It binds to blood hemoglobin 200 times faster than oxygen. Experiments carried out in the USA showed that due to the influence of carbon monoxide in people who spend a large number of time behind the wheel, reaction is impaired. At a carbon monoxide concentration of 6 mg/m3 for 20 minutes, the color and light sensitivity of the eyes decreases. Under the influence of large amounts of carbon monoxide, fainting, coma, and even death can occur.

We are taking action

1. Lactic enzymes and acids remove carbon monoxide breakdown products. With normal tolerance, you can drink up to a liter of milk per day.

2. To neutralize the effects of carbon monoxide, it is recommended to eat as many fruits as possible: green apples, grapefruits, as well as honey and walnuts.

Kind with healthy

German scientists have found that sexual arousal activates the cardiovascular system and increases blood flow. As a result, tissues are better saturated with oxygen and the risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced by 50%.

What does the metro breathe?

Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have concluded that more than 5 thousand Swedes die every year from inhaling microscopic particles of coal, asphalt, iron and other pollutants in the air of the Stockholm metro. These particles have a stronger destructive effect on human DNA than particles contained in car exhaust and formed as a result of burning wood fuel.

Sky over Moscow

According to Roshydromet observations, in 2011 the degree of air pollution in the cities of the Moscow region was assessed as: very high - in Moscow, high - in Serpukhov, increased - in Voskresensk, Klin, Kolomna, Mytishchi, Podolsk and Elektrostal, low - in Dzerzhinsky, Shchelkovo and Prioksko-Terrasny biosphere reserve.

Unlike the hot and cold planets of our solar system, on planet Earth there are conditions that make it possible for life in a certain form. One of the main conditions is the composition of the atmosphere, which gives all living things the opportunity to breathe freely and protects them from the deadly radiation that reigns in space.

What does the atmosphere consist of?

The Earth's atmosphere consists of many gases. Basically which occupies 77%. Gas, without which life on Earth is unthinkable, occupies a much smaller volume; the oxygen content in the air is equal to 21% of the total volume of the atmosphere. The last 2% is a mixture of various gases, including argon, helium, neon, krypton and others.

The Earth's atmosphere rises to a height of 8 thousand km. Air suitable for breathing is found only in the lower layer of the atmosphere, in the troposphere, which reaches 8 km up at the poles, and 16 km above the equator. As altitude increases, the air becomes thinner and the greater the lack of oxygen. To consider what the oxygen content in the air is at different altitudes, let's give an example. At the peak of Everest (height 8848 m), the air holds 3 times less of this gas than above sea level. Therefore, conquerors of high mountain peaks - climbers - can climb to its peak only in oxygen masks.

Oxygen is the main condition for survival on the planet

At the beginning of the Earth's existence, the air that surrounded it did not have this gas in its composition. This was quite suitable for the life of protozoa - single-celled molecules that swam in the ocean. They didn't need oxygen. The process began approximately 2 million years ago, when the first living organisms, as a result of the reaction of photosynthesis, began to release small doses of this gas, obtained as a result of chemical reactions, first into the ocean, then into the atmosphere. Life evolved on the planet and took on a variety of forms, most of which have not survived into modern times. Some organisms eventually adapted to living with the new gas.

They learned to harness its power safely inside a cell, where it acted as a powerhouse to extract energy from food. This way of using oxygen is called breathing, and we do it every second. It was breathing that made it possible for the emergence of more complex organisms and people. Over millions of years, the oxygen content in the air has skyrocketed to modern level- about 21%. The accumulation of this gas in the atmosphere contributed to the creation of the ozone layer at an altitude of 8-30 km from the earth's surface. At the same time, the planet received protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. Further evolution life forms on water and on land has rapidly increased as a result of increased photosynthesis.

Anaerobic life

Although some organisms adapted to the increasing levels of gas released, many of the simplest forms of life that existed on Earth disappeared. Other organisms survived by hiding from oxygen. Some of them today live in the roots of legumes, using nitrogen from the air to build amino acids for plants. The deadly organism botulism is another refugee from oxygen. It easily survives in vacuum-packed canned foods.

What oxygen level is optimal for life?

Prematurely born babies, whose lungs are not yet fully open for breathing, end up in special incubators. In them, the oxygen content in the air is higher by volume, and instead of the usual 21%, its level is set at 30-40%. Kids who have serious problems breathing, are surrounded by air with 100% oxygen levels to prevent damage to the child's brain. Being in such circumstances improves the oxygen regime of tissues that are in a state of hypoxia, normalizes them vital signs. But too much of it in the air is just as dangerous as too little. Excessive oxygen in a baby's blood can cause damage blood vessels in the eyes and cause vision loss. This shows the duality of gas properties. We need to breathe it in order to live, but its excess can sometimes become poison for the body.

Oxidation process

When oxygen combines with hydrogen or carbon, a reaction called oxidation occurs. This process forces organic molecules, which are the basis of life, disintegrate. In the human body, oxidation occurs as follows. Red blood cells collect oxygen from the lungs and carry it throughout the body. There is a process of destruction of the molecules of the food we eat. This process releases energy, water and leaves behind carbon dioxide. The latter is excreted by blood cells back into the lungs, and we exhale it into the air. A person may suffocate if they are prevented from breathing for more than 5 minutes.

Breath

Let's consider the oxygen content in the inhaled air. Atmospheric air that enters the lungs from outside during inhalation is called inhaled air, and air that comes out through the respiratory system during exhalation is called exhaled air.

It is a mixture of the air that filled the alveoli with that in the respiratory tract. The chemical composition of the air, which healthy man inhales and exhales under natural conditions, practically does not change and is expressed in such numbers.

Oxygen is the main component of air for life. Changes in the amount of this gas in the atmosphere are small. If the oxygen content in the air near the sea reaches up to 20.99%, then even in the very polluted air of industrial cities its level does not fall below 20.5%. Such changes do not reveal an impact on human body. Physiological disturbances appear when the percentage of oxygen in the air drops to 16-17%. In this case, there is an obvious one that leads to a sharp decline in vital activity, and when the oxygen content in the air is 7-8%, death is possible.

Atmosphere in different eras

The composition of the atmosphere has always influenced evolution. At different geological times, due to natural disasters, rises or falls in oxygen levels were observed, and this entailed changes in the biosystem. About 300 million years ago, its content in the atmosphere rose to 35%, and the planet was colonized by insects of gigantic size. The greatest extinction of living things in Earth's history occurred about 250 million years ago. During it, more than 90% of the inhabitants of the ocean and 75% of the inhabitants of the land died. One version of the mass extinction says that the culprit was low oxygen levels in the air. The amount of this gas dropped to 12%, and this is in the lower layer of the atmosphere up to an altitude of 5300 meters. In our era, the oxygen content in atmospheric air reaches 20.9%, which is 0.7% lower than 800 thousand years ago. These figures have been confirmed by scientists from Princeton University, who examined samples of Greenland and Atlantic ice, formed at that time. The frozen water preserved air bubbles, and this fact helps calculate the level of oxygen in the atmosphere.

What determines its level in the air?

Its active absorption from the atmosphere can be caused by the movement of glaciers. As they move away, they reveal gigantic areas of organic layers that consume oxygen. Another reason may be the cooling of the waters of the World Ocean: its bacteria at lower temperatures absorb oxygen more actively. Researchers argue that the industrial leap and, with it, the burning of huge amounts of fuel do not have a particular impact. The world's oceans have been cooling for 15 million years, and the amount of vital nutrients in the atmosphere has decreased regardless of human impact. There are probably some things happening on Earth natural processes, leading to the fact that oxygen consumption becomes higher than its production.

Human impact on the composition of the atmosphere

Let's talk about the human influence on the composition of air. The level we have today is ideal for living beings; the oxygen content in the air is 21%. The balance of it and other gases is determined life cycle in nature: animals exhale carbon dioxide, plants use it and release oxygen.

But there is no guarantee that this level will always be constant. The amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is increasing. This is due to humankind's use of fuel. And it, as you know, was formed from fossils organic origin and carbon dioxide enters the air. Meanwhile the most large plants Our planet's trees are being destroyed at an increasing rate. In a minute, kilometers of forest disappear. This means that some of the oxygen in the air is gradually falling and scientists are already sounding the alarm. The earth's atmosphere is not a limitless storehouse and oxygen does not enter it from the outside. It was constantly being developed along with the development of the Earth. We must always remember that this gas is produced by vegetation during the process of photosynthesis through the consumption of carbon dioxide. And any significant decrease in vegetation in the form of destruction of forests inevitably reduces the entry of oxygen into the atmosphere, thereby disturbing its balance.

Air quality required to maintain life processes of all living organisms on Earth is determined by the oxygen content in it.
Let us consider the dependence of air quality on the percentage of oxygen in it using the example of Figure 1.

Rice. 1 Percentage of oxygen in air

Favorable level of oxygen in the air

Zone 1-2: This level of oxygen content is typical for ecologically clean areas and forests. The oxygen content in the air on the ocean shore can reach 21.9%

Level of comfortable oxygen content in the air

Zone 3-4: limited by the legally approved standard for the minimum oxygen content in indoor air (20.5%) and the "standard" fresh air(21%). For urban air, an oxygen content of 20.8% is considered normal.

Insufficient oxygen levels in the air

Zone 5-6: limited to the minimum permissible oxygen level when a person can be without a breathing apparatus (18%).
A person’s stay in rooms with such air is accompanied by fatigue, drowsiness, decreased mental activity, headaches.
Prolonged stay in rooms with such an atmosphere is dangerous to health

Dangerous low level oxygen content in the air

Zone 7 onwards: when the oxygen content is 16%, dizziness and rapid breathing are observed, 13% - loss of consciousness, 12% - irreversible changes in the functioning of the body, 7% - death.
An unsuitable atmosphere for breathing is also characterized not only by exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations harmful substances in the air, but also due to insufficient oxygen content.
Due With different definitions Given the concept of “insufficient oxygen content,” gas rescuers very often make mistakes when describing gas rescue work. This occurs, among other things, as a result of studying charters, instructions, standards and other documents containing an indication of the oxygen content in the atmosphere.
Let's look at the differences in the percentage of oxygen in the main regulatory documents.

1.Oxygen content less than 20%.
Gas hazardous work carried out when there is oxygen content in the air of the working area less than 20%.
- Standard instructions for organizing the safe conduct of gas-hazardous work (approved by the USSR State Mining and Technical Supervision on February 20, 1985):
1.5. Gas hazardous work includes work... with insufficient oxygen content (volume fraction below 20%).
- Standard instructions for organizing the safe conduct of gas-hazardous work at oil product supply enterprises TOI R-112-17-95 (approved by order of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation dated July 4, 1995 N 144):
1.3. Gas hazardous work includes work... when the oxygen content in the air is less than 20% by volume.
- National standard RF GOST R 55892-2013 "Facilities of small-scale production and consumption of liquefied natural gas. General technical requirements" (approved by order Federal agency By technical regulation and metrology dated December 17, 2013 N 2278-st):
K.1 Gas hazardous work includes work... when the oxygen content in the air of the working area is less than 20%.

2. Oxygen content less than 18%.
Gas rescue work carried out at oxygen levels less than 18%.
- Position on gas rescue formation (approved and put into effect by the First Deputy Minister of Industry, Science and Technology A.G. Svinarenko 06/05/2003; agreed upon: Federal Mining and Industrial Supervision Russian Federation 05/16/2003 N AS 04-35/373).
3. Gas rescue operations ... in conditions of reducing the oxygen content in the atmosphere to a level of less than 18 vol.% ...
- Management on the organization and conduct of emergency rescue operations at enterprises of the chemical complex (approved by UAC No. 5/6, protocol No. 2 of July 11, 2015).
2. Gas rescue operations... in conditions of insufficient (less than 18%) oxygen content...
- GOST R 22.9.02-95 Safety in emergency situations. Modes of activity of rescuers using personal protective equipment when eliminating the consequences of accidents at chemically hazardous facilities. General requirements(adopted as an interstate standard GOST 22.9.02-97)
6.5 When high concentrations In case of chemical poisoning and insufficient oxygen content (less than 18%) in the source of chemical contamination, use only insulating respiratory protective equipment.

3. Oxygen content less than 17%.
The use of filters is prohibited RPE at oxygen content less than 17%.
- GOST R 12.4.233-2012 (EN 132:1998) System of occupational safety standards. Personal respiratory protection. Terms, definitions and designations (approved and put into effect by order of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology dated November 29, 2012 N 1824-st)
2.87...oxygen-deficient atmosphere: Ambient air containing less than 17% oxygen by volume in which filtering RPE cannot be used.
- Interstate standard GOST 12.4.299-2015 System of occupational safety standards. Personal respiratory protection. Recommendations for selection, application and maintenance(put into effect by order of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology dated June 24, 2015 N 792-st)
B.2.1 Oxygen deficiency. If the analysis of conditions environment indicates the presence or possibility of oxygen deficiency (volume fraction less than 17%), then filter-type RPE is not used...
- Solution Commission of the Customs Union dated December 9, 2011 N 878 On the adoption of the technical regulations of the Customs Union "On the safety of personal protective equipment"
7) ...the use of filtering personal respiratory protection equipment is not allowed if the oxygen content in the inhaled air is less than 17 percent
- Interstate standard GOST 12.4.041-2001 System of occupational safety standards. Filtering personal respiratory protection equipment. General technical requirements (put into effect by Decree of the State Standard of the Russian Federation dated September 19, 2001 N 386-st)
1 ...filtering personal protective equipment for the respiratory system designed to protect against harmful aerosols, gases and vapors and their combinations in the ambient air, provided that it contains at least 17 vol oxygen. %.

It is probably not entirely correct to talk about air as a chemical compound. Rather, it is a mixture of gases in which water vapor is present. The main composition of air is nitrogen-oxygen in a volume ratio of 78-21%. The rest belongs to hydrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, helium, etc. The composition of the air can vary depending on the geography of the place (city, forest, mountains, sea) within 2% for each gas.

Many people sometimes wonder what air is made of and what its formula is. Air is a mixture of gases that envelops our Earth in the atmosphere. So the main components are nitrogen and oxygen, the rest are gases that simply add a little air

Air is a mixture of gases. The air composition is not constant value and varies depending on the area, region and even the number of people near you. Basically, air consists of approximately 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen, the rest is impurities various connections.

Vladimir! There is no chemical formula for air as such.

Air is a MIXTURE of various gases - oxygen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen and other gases.

It is difficult to name the exact proportion of these gases in the atmosphere...

Air is essentially a mixture of nitrogen (about 80%) and oxygen (about 20%), with other gases making up about 1% or less. As such, there is no chemical formula for air, since it is a mixture of various compounds in different percentages.

Air is not a chemical compound. Air is a mixture of gases, and its composition is not constant and depends directly on the place in which we will analyze the composition of the air, the presence of certain contaminants.

98-99% of the air composition is nitrogen and oxygen. Air also contains

It is impossible to create a single integral formula for the Earth's atmosphere. But you can determine what gases are in the air:

Nitrogen N2 - 78.084%.
Oxygen (which we breathe) O2 - 20.9476%.
Argon Ar - 0.934%.
Carbon dioxide CO2 - 0.0314%.
Neon Ne - 0.001818%.
Methane CH4 - 0.0002%.
Helium He - 0.000524%.
Krypton Kr - 0.000114%.
Hydrogen H2 - 0.00005%.
Xenon Xe - 0.0000087%.
Ozone O3 - 0.000007%.
Nitrogen dioxide NO2 - 0.000002%.
Iodine I2 - 0.000001%.
The amount of carbon monoxide CO and ammonium NH3 is negligible.

The air cannot be called chemical compound, because it consists of a mixture of various gases, which constantly changes its composition. Moreover, this change is both qualitative and quantitative nature. So, if up to a height of 13 kilometers, the composition of the atmosphere changes little, then above it appears ozone layer, that is, a large amount of triatomic oxygen appears in the atmosphere. On the contrary, near the surface the composition of the atmosphere is greatly influenced by pollution, both man-made (emissions from enterprises, cars) and natural character(volcanic activity). A chemical compound is usually permanent; the atoms of the elements in it are connected by various bonds and are in strict proportions.
Here is the composition of the atmosphere at the surface:
Here are the changes that occur in the atmosphere with altitude:
You won't be able to find any chemical formula air. The whole point is that the air contains a huge number various gas impurities, so you can only provide a list of these impurities with an approximate percentage, and here is the list.

The composition of the air on earth is one of the reasons for our life. Without air, a person will live only three minutes, and after 10 clinical death will occur.

As long as we breathe, we live. Not on any planet solar system no so much close connection between chemistry and biology. Our world is unique.

Depending on the territory, the volume of the main component of the vital gas ranges from 16 to 20 percent - this is oxygen, the formula of which is O 2. Its variation is felt in space as “freshness” after a thunderstorm - this is ozone O 3.

From this article you will learn all the secrets air envelope land. What will happen to the world without one component? What harm can it cause? How will a slight deterioration of the atmosphere affect life?

What is air

The ancient Greeks used two words to define air: calamus, which meant the lower layers of the atmosphere (Dim), and aether meaning the bright upper layers of the atmosphere (the space above the clouds).

In alchemy, the symbol for air is a triangle divided in two by a horizontal line.

IN modern world, this definition would suit him - gas mixture, surrounding the planet, which protects against the penetration of solar radiation and large doses of ultraviolet radiation.

Over a multimillion-year period of development, the planet has transformed gaseous substances and created a unique protective shield that is almost impossible to see. Mass fraction they are disproportionately small for space.

Nothing else has an impact on the formation of the world. If we remember that part air masses– is oxygen, what will happen on earth without it? Buildings and structures will collapse.

Metal bridges and other structures that fascinate millions of tourists will turn into a single lump due to the small number of oxygen molecules (in this situation, close to zero). The life of all living organisms on the planet will worsen, and some will lead to death.

The seas and oceans, evaporating in the form of hydrogen, will disappear. And when the planet becomes like the Moon, a radiation fire will reign, burning out the remains of the flora, since without oxygen the temperature will increase very much, but without an atmosphere there will be no protection from the sun.

What is air made of?

Almost all earth's atmosphere consists of only five gases: nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, argon and carbon dioxide.

Other mixtures are also present in it, but for the sake of purity of presentation chemical composition water vapor will not be considered. It is worth mentioning that it occupies no more than five percent of the air mass.

Air composition in percentage

Ideally, the air collected in a jar consists of:

78 percent from nitrogen;
16 - 20 percent oxygen;
1 percent argon;
three hundredths of a percent carbon dioxide;
one thousandth of one percent neon;
0.0002 percent methane.

Smaller components are:

helium - 0.000524%;
krypton - 0.000114%;
hydrogen - H2 0.00005%;
xenon - 0.0000087%;
ozone O 3 - 0.000007%;
nitrogen dioxide - 0.000002%;
iodine - 0.000001%;
carbon monoxide;
ammonia.

Composition of inhaled and exhaled air

Breathing takes precedence over other human needs. From school course Everyone knows that a person inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide. Although in life there are other substances in the air besides pure O2.

Inhale - exhale. This cycle repeats about 22,000 times a day, consuming oxygen to maintain vitality. human body. The problem is that it's tender lung tissue is attacked by air pollution, cleaning solutions, fibers, vapors and dust.

The first half of the article talked about reducing oxygen, but what will happen with an increase. Doubling the concentration of the main gas would lead to a reduction in fuel consumption in cars.

By breathing in more oxygen, a person would become much more psychologically positive. However, some insects favorable climate would allow it to increase in size. There are a number of theories predicting this. It seems that no one would want to encounter a spider the size of a dog, and one can only fantasize about the growth of large representatives.

By inhaling fewer heavy metals, humanity could overcome a number of complex diseases, but such a project would require a lot of effort. There is a whole program aimed at creating a practical paradise on earth: in every home, room, city or country. Its goal is to make the atmosphere cleaner, to save people from dangerous work in mines and metallurgy. A place where jobs would be occupied by masters of their craft.

It is important that you can breathe clean air, untouched by industry, but this requires political, or better yet, global will. And while people are busy looking for money and cheap (dirty) technologies, all that remains is to inhale city smog. How long this will last is unknown.

The map will allow you to clearly evaluate the atmospheric air of the capital of our homeland, which is inhaled by more than a dozen people.

Hygienic value of atmospheric air

Officially, air pollution can be defined as the content of harmful substances in the air, either particles or microscopic biological molecules, which pose a danger to the health of living organisms: people, animals or plants.

The level of air pollution in a particular location depends primarily on the source or sources of the pollution. This includes:

car exhaust gases;
coal power plants;
industrial plants and other sources of pollution.

All of the above spews into the air Various types hazardous substances and toxins, exceeding the norm by tens and sometimes hundreds of times. In combination with natural sources– volcanoes, geysers, etc. – creates a deadly cocktail of toxic air masses, which is usually called “smog”.

The evidence of each person's guilt is clear. Our personal choices and industry can have a detrimental effect on much-needed gas. Over the century of technological breakthrough, nature has suffered, which means revenge is inevitable.

By increasing emissions, humanity is approaching an abyss from which there is no return and cannot be. Before it's too late, at least something should be fixed. It has been proven that alternative industrial technologies can help clean the air in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tokyo, Berlin and any other major city.

Here are some solutions:

Replace gasoline with electricity in cars, and the sky over the city will become a little more beautiful.
Remove coal plants from cities, let them go down in the history of the country, start using the energy of the sun, water, and wind. Then, after the rain, soot will not fly out of the chimney of the next plant, but only the smell of “freshness.”
Plant a tree in the park. If thousands do this, then asthmatics and depressed people will stop visiting hospitals in search of a unique recipe from a psychologist.