The Earth’s atmosphere is composed of approximately 78% nitrogen and about 21% oxygen. This means that nitrogen is the most abundant gas in our atmosphere, while oxygen is the second most plentiful. The remaining 1% consists of other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, neon, and trace amounts of other elements.
Nitrogen plays a crucial role in the atmosphere as it is relatively inert and does not easily react with other substances, helping to stabilize the atmosphere. On the other hand, oxygen is vital for life as it is essential for respiration in most living organisms. The balance of these two gases is key to maintaining life on Earth and influences various environmental processes.