The air you are breathing is primarily a mixture, specifically a homogeneous mixture. It consists of various gases, mainly nitrogen (about 78%), oxygen (about 21%), and smaller amounts of other gases, such as argon, carbon dioxide, and trace gases. In a homogeneous mixture, the components are uniformly distributed, and you cannot easily distinguish one component from another.
To clarify the other terms:
- Heterogeneous mixture: A mixture where the different components can be easily distinguished (e.g., salad).
- Element: A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen).
- Molecule: A group of atoms bonded together (e.g., O2 for oxygen).
- Isotope: Variants of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons (e.g., carbon-12 and carbon-14).
In summary, the air is a homogeneous mixture of gases.