What component of air influences the respiratory rate when inhaled in high concentrations?

The component of air that significantly influences respiratory rate when inhaled in high concentrations is carbon dioxide. The body has sensitive chemoreceptors that monitor the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. When carbon dioxide levels rise, indicating that there may be a build-up due to insufficient ventilation or other factors, these chemoreceptors stimulate an increase in respiratory rate. This response helps to expel excess carbon dioxide and maintain the body's acid-base balance.

In contrast, while oxygen levels also affect respiratory drive, the primary stimulus for increasing breathing rate is typically the level of carbon dioxide rather than oxygen. High concentrations of nitrogen and argon do not have a direct stimulatory effect on respiratory rate because they are inert gases, meaning they do not actively participate in metabolic processes or trigger chemoreceptor responses in the way carbon dioxide does.