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Ask an Explainer

Q:

Is air a gas?

A:

Yes it is! What we call air is in fact made up of 78% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. The last 2% is a cocktail of carbon dioxide, argon, neon, krypton, methane, and hydrogen.

Since it is a gas, it exerts a pressure (air pressure), which is about 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level. If you want to find out why you're not being crushed by all of that pressure, check out Air is Stuff.

Ask an Explainer
Posted on October 29, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Categories:
Gravity & Air
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