What is the primary component of medical air?

The primary component of medical air is nitrogen and oxygen. Medical air is a mixture that closely resembles the composition of atmospheric air, which typically contains about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. This mixture is essential for various medical applications, especially in respiratory therapy and the operation of some medical devices where a non-toxic and non-flammable environment is critical.

Nitrogen serves as an inert gas that helps provide the required pressure for delivery systems without supporting combustion, while oxygen is vital for patient breathing and cellular metabolism. The presence of nitrogen also helps ensure that the air does not have any excess moisture or contaminants, which could be harmful during medical procedures.

Other options, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen or helium and hydrogen, do not reflect the composition of medical air. Carbon dioxide is generally considered a waste product rather than a primary component needed for therapeutic use, and helium and hydrogen are not present in medical air, thereby making them unsuitable for patient care applications. Similarly, while argon is an inert gas, it is not a primary component of medical air either. Hence, the correct identification of nitrogen and oxygen as the primary components underlines the importance of these gases in medical environments.