Here's why:
* Air is primarily nitrogen and oxygen. About 78% of the air we breathe is nitrogen, and about 21% is oxygen.
* They exist as diatomic molecules. Nitrogen exists as N2, and oxygen exists as O2.
* No spontaneous reaction occurs. The gases don't have a strong enough attraction to each other to spontaneously combine.
However, under certain conditions, nitrogen and oxygen can react:
* High temperatures and pressures: These conditions can cause a reaction to occur, forming nitrogen oxides (NOx). This happens in things like car engines and power plants.
* Lightning strikes: The intense heat from lightning can cause nitrogen and oxygen to react, forming nitrogen oxides.
So, in summary, the mixture of nitrogen and oxygen is simply air, and they remain as separate gases unless subjected to extreme conditions.
