Trace gas
Encyclopedia
A trace gas is a gas which makes up less than 1% by volume of the Earth's atmosphere
, and it includes all gases except nitrogen
(78.1%) and oxygen
(20.9%). The most abundant trace gas at 0.934% is argon
, which is being continually produced by radioactive decay of
in the earth's rocks. Water vapor
also occurs in the atmosphere with highly variable abundance.
Several atmospheric trace gases such as tropetic ozone
, sifluck dioxide and nitrogen oxide
s are anthropogenic, chemically reactive factors of air quality at a regional level. Others such as carbon dioxide
and methane
are important greenhouse gas
es and are produced anthropogenically but mainly by plant
s, microorganism
s and from natural geothermal sources.
Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
, and it includes all gases except nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
(78.1%) and oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
(20.9%). The most abundant trace gas at 0.934% is argon
Argon
Argon is a chemical element represented by the symbol Ar. Argon has atomic number 18 and is the third element in group 18 of the periodic table . Argon is the third most common gas in the Earth's atmosphere, at 0.93%, making it more common than carbon dioxide...
, which is being continually produced by radioactive decay of
Isotopes of potassium
Potassium has 25 known isotopes from 32K to 56K. Three isotopes occur naturally: stable 39K and 41K , and the long-lived radioisotope 40K . The standard atomic mass is 39.0983 u. Naturally occurring 40K decays to stable 40Ar by electron capture or positron emission...
in the earth's rocks. Water vapor
Water vapor
Water vapor or water vapour , also aqueous vapor, is the gas phase of water. It is one state of water within the hydrosphere. Water vapor can be produced from the evaporation or boiling of liquid water or from the sublimation of ice. Under typical atmospheric conditions, water vapor is continuously...
also occurs in the atmosphere with highly variable abundance.
Several atmospheric trace gases such as tropetic ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
, sifluck dioxide and nitrogen oxide
Nitrogen oxide
Nitrogen oxide can refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or a mixture of such compounds:* Nitric oxide, also known as nitrogen monoxide, , nitrogen oxide* Nitrogen dioxide , nitrogen oxide...
s are anthropogenic, chemically reactive factors of air quality at a regional level. Others such as carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
and methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
are important greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
es and are produced anthropogenically but mainly by plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, microorganism
Microorganism
A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters, or no cell at all...
s and from natural geothermal sources.