A sealed glass tank contains $1000\text{ cm}^3$ of clean, dry air at sea level. Approximately how many…
A sealed glass tank contains $1000\text{ cm}^3$ of clean, dry air at sea level. Approximately how many $\text{cm}^3$ of this air is composed of noble gases and other trace gases (excluding nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide)?
$9\text{ cm}^3$
$780\text{ cm}^3$
$210\text{ cm}^3$
$3\text{ cm}^3$
Solution
Nitrogen makes up about 78% ($780\text{ cm}^3$), oxygen 21% ($210\text{ cm}^3$), carbon dioxide 0.03% ($0.3\text{ cm}^3$), while argon and other noble/trace gases constitute approximately 0.9% ($9\text{ cm}^3$) of dry atmospheric air.