If air is made up of 78% Nitrogen, our blood uses Oxygen and we exhale Carbon dioxide, what happens to nitrogen?

Question

If air is made up of 78% Nitrogen, our blood uses Oxygen and we exhale Carbon dioxide, what happens to nitrogen?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The nitrogen is just *there*. Inconsequential. We breathe it in, we breathe it out. We could live without it entirely and not notice it. Only under high pressures or sudden pressure losses does it impact us, and in both cases it’s a problem.