The key difference between normal air and nitrogen in tires is that normal air in tires contains a high amount of nitrogen and oxygen, whereas nitrogen in tires contains dry air with more nitrogen, with oxygen removed.
Air is important in many ways, mainly for the existence of life on Earth. But it also has many uses in technology. We can use air to fill up the tires to get the maximum outcome from them. For this purpose, we can use either normal air or nitrogen.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Normal Air in Tires
3. What is Nitrogen in Tires
4. Normal Air vs Nitrogen in Tires in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Normal Air vs Nitrogen in Tires
What is Normal Air in Tires?
Normal air in tires has the same air as the atmosphere, which contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% miscellaneous gases. Although the higher content of this air is nitrogen, it still has a considerable amount of oxygen. Many people prefer normal air in tires, but it has a less consistent air pressure because of the varying contents of other gases, and its moisture can change according to the relative humidity in the atmosphere. The water content in the air can also cause an inconsistent nature.
All gases tend to expand upon heating and contract upon cooling. The tire inflation pressure rises and falls with changes in ambient temperature (by 1 psi for every degree of Fahrenheit). Therefore, it is important to check the tire pressure before the tires get heated by the sun, which can drive the tire pressure to increase.
What is Nitrogen in Tires?
Nitrogen in tires is composed mostly of nitrogen gas molecules. In other words, it has pure nitrogen that does not support moisture or combustion. Moreover, nitrogen is an inert and inflammable gas that is dry air with oxygen removed. Since it is a dry gas, it does not support moisture inside the tire. Generally, tires filled with nitrogen can maintain the air pressure more consistently, and the natural loss of air pressure via rubber permeation can be reduced to about 1/3rd by using nitrogen gas.
Nitrogen is mainly used in tired for the maintenance of tire pressure. It is important to keep tires in good shape. Moreover, nitrogen molecules are typically larger than normal air molecules, which cause fewer leakages from tires. Therefore, nitrogen gas will not seep out of tires quickly, which is helpful in handling the car better. In addition, there are some more benefits of using nitrogen in tires; it is safe, increases tread life and fuel efficiency, and helps tires to wear evenly.
What is the Difference Between Normal Air and Nitrogen in Tires?
Tires are the rubbery objects on which vehicles are driven. We can use air to fill up the tires to get the maximum outcome from them. For this purpose, we can use either normal air or nitrogen. The key difference between normal air and nitrogen in tires is that normal air in tires contains a high amount of nitrogen and oxygen, whereas nitrogen in tires contains dry air with more nitrogen with oxygen removed. Generally, tires filled with nitrogen can maintain the air pressure more consistently when compared to tires filled with normal air.
The following table summarizes the difference between normal air and nitrogen in tires.
Summary – Normal Air vs Nitrogen in Tires
Normal air in tires is the same air as in the atmosphere, which contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% miscellaneous gases. Nitrogen in tires is composed mostly of nitrogen gas molecules. The key difference between normal air and nitrogen in tires is that normal air in tires contains a high amount of nitrogen and oxygen, whereas nitrogen in tires contains dry air with more nitrogen and no oxygen.
Reference:
1. “What are the benefits of nitrogen-filled tires?” Continental Tires.
2. “Mixing Regular Air And Nitrogen For Your Tires, Is It Ok?” Total Energie.