Question

The introduction to this chapter says that "we live immersed in a gaseous solution." What does that mean?

Short answer

The statement "we live immersed in a gaseous solution" means that the air around us is a mixture of different gases like nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. These gases maintain their individual properties while mixing together in a gaseous solution. This atmospheric composition plays a crucial role in sustaining life on Earth, providing breathable air, and regulating the planet's temperature and climate.

Step-by-step solution

Defining a gaseous solution

A gaseous solution is a mixture of gases, where one or more gases are dissolved in another gas. Just like solid and liquid solutions, gaseous solutions also involve the mixing of substances without a chemical reaction. The components of a gaseous solution maintain their original properties, such as mass, volume, and pressure.

Relating gaseous solutions to our environment

When we say that "we live immersed in a gaseous solution," we are referring to the fact that the air around us is actually a mixture of different gases e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases like argon and neon. Therefore, our surrounding environment can be considered a gaseous solution.

Describing the composition of the gaseous solution we live in

The atmosphere, which is the gaseous solution we live in, primarily consists of: 1. Nitrogen (\(N_2\)) - approximately 78% 2. Oxygen (\(O_2\)) - approximately 21% 3. Argon (\(Ar\)) - approximately 0.93% 4. Carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) - approximately 0.04% 5. Trace amounts of other gases like neon, helium, and methane. It is important to note that this composition is generally consistent throughout the lower atmosphere, although the concentrations of certain gases may vary slightly due to local factors, such as pollution or volcanic activity.

Importance of the atmospheric gaseous solution

Living in a gaseous solution has crucial implications for life on Earth. For instance, oxygen allows us to breathe and sustain our lives, while the presence of trace gases like carbon dioxide plays a major role in the Earth's temperature and climate regulation through the greenhouse effect. Furthermore, the constant mixing and diffusion of the different gases in the atmosphere enable them to spread evenly and maintain a stable composition, essential for sustaining life on our planet.