Air is what we need to breathe. It is approximately 21% oxygen with the remainder mostly nitrogen with a very small amount of various gases thrown in at the end. The most important aspect of air is the 21% oxygen. At sea level, this gives our bodies approximately 95% oxygen inhalation which is what we need for metabolism and survival.
Air is always 21% oxygen, but percent is a portion of something.
21% of an apple is a larger amount than 21% of a grape. At sea level, we mentioned before, the 21% oxygen is enough to sustain life. At much higher altitudes, the atmosphere is still 21% oxygen, but the total quantity of air is a lesser amount, therefore this 21% oxygen is not enough to sustain life. We will need supplemental oxygen in order to live. This is why jet pilots and people who climb mountains such as Everest must have supplemental oxygen, or they will die.
The nitrogen in the air is not important for survival. In fact, people who require machines to give them supplemental oxygen; i.e. people with emphysema or other respiratory or circulatory diseases that require supplemental oxygen at sea level, get the 95% oxygen that they need from the machine. The nitrogen is blown back into the air in the room. Good circulation in the room is adequate to supply enough oxygenated air for the machine to work properly.
To summarize, what we concern ourselves with in everyday live is air; but, the portion of air that is oxygen is what we need to survive.
http://www.helium.com/items/504965-the-composition-of-air
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