I always wondered in ATLA if benders could bend on a microscopic level. If so then wouldn't air bending be the most powerful?
For there to be fire combustion of anything plus excess oxygen (O2)would equal to carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and water (H2O). So oxygen in the air is required to form the reaction of combustion creating fire.No air=no fire
Water (H2O) wouldn't exist without oxygen . Hydrogen 2H+ + oxygen O-= H2O (not a balanced equation I no ) If you were to take oxygen away from water hydrogen would return to its gas phase and there would be no liquid to bend.
Earth is a bit more complicated bc If i really thought about it earth benders can bend literal elements but only the earth like alkaline , earth alkaline, metal and metaloids. not gases. Since air benders can control air there is oxygen nitrogen and others in tiny bits in the atmosphere so if Id have to guess since all gas is controlled by air benders even earth would “ crumble” with the loss of the gases.
IN ATLA their was never an explanation as to why the air benders were monks. My guess was that they wanted peace because they wanted equality .Maybe their ancestors saw how powerful they were and decided to devote their future to teaching the children to be kind and mellow.if they ever got really pissed they would go into a frenzy and annihilate their enemies in the worst ways.