What common element makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrogen
The answer was Nitrogen. Here's the why, the decoys, and the source trail.
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Nitrogen makes up roughly 78% of Earth's atmosphere by volume, with oxygen coming in second at about 21%. Despite being the dominant gas we breathe in, nitrogen is largely inert and passes right through our lungs without being absorbed.
A good trivia question makes the wrong answers feel close. Here is the clean read on the set.
- Oxygen - a decoy; it may live near the same topic, but it does not answer this exact clue.
- Carbon dioxide - a decoy; it may live near the same topic, but it does not answer this exact clue.
- Nitrogen - correct answer.
- Argon - a decoy; it may live near the same topic, but it does not answer this exact clue.
Nitrogen is the one to remember. Nitrogen makes up roughly 78% of Earth's atmosphere by volume, with oxygen coming in second at about 21%. Lightning is one of the few natural forces powerful enough to break apart nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, converting them into compounds that fertilize the soil.
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Sources: NASA