which gas makes up most of earth's atmosphere?

10 hours ago 1
Nature

Nitrogen is the gas that makes up the largest portion of Earth's atmosphere, accounting for about 78% by volume.

Quick summary

  • Main component: nitrogen (N2) ≈ 78%
  • Second most abundant: oxygen (O2) ≈ 21%
  • Remaining ~1% includes argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen, and other trace gases, plus variable amounts of water vapor depending on location and conditions.

If you’d like, I can provide a simple breakdown of typical atmospheric composition by major components and explain how it varies with altitude or weather conditions.