From what mixture do oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen come from? A. Gas in liquid B. Gas gas C. Solid in liquid D. Liquid in liquid
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Gas in gas.
Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are all gases that are commonly found in the Earth’s atmosphere. The mixture of gases that make up the atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (around 78%), oxygen (about 21%), and smaller amounts of other gases, including carbon dioxide, argon, neon, and trace gases.
The atmosphere is considered a gas in gas mixture because all the components—nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide—are gases. When gases mix, they form what is known as a homogeneous mixture, meaning the gases are evenly distributed throughout the atmosphere. Unlike liquids, where solutes can dissolve into a solvent (as in a gas dissolved in liquid), gases mix freely with one another in the air. This happens because the individual gas molecules have a high kinetic energy and move rapidly, allowing them to spread out and intermingle.
This homogeneous mixture of gases is important for life on Earth, as it provides the oxygen necessary for respiration in most living organisms, the nitrogen needed for plant growth (even though nitrogen is not directly usable by plants in its atmospheric form), and carbon dioxide, which is critical for photosynthesis in plants.
Thus, when considering the state of matter of each component, the atmosphere can be classified as a gas in gas mixture, because all the gases mix without forming any solution or suspension.