Nitrogen

Nitrogen

Statistics of Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a Chemical Element with an 
Atomic Number : 7

Atomic Mass: 14.0067 Atomic Mass Units 
Atomic Symbol: N
Melting Point: -210.1°C

Boiling Point: -195.79°C(Given for Diamond)

Period Number: 2

Valence Electrons: 5
Phase of Nitrogen at room temperature: Gas
Group: Nitrogen Group
Group Number: 15

Density: 0.001251 g/cm³ 

Isotopes: Nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N), Nitrogen-15 (¹⁵N)
Allotropes: Dinitrogen
% in Universe: 0.1%

% in Sun: 0.1%

% in Meteorites: 0.14%

% in Earth's Crust: 0.002%

% in Oceans: 0.00005%

% in Humans: 2.6%

Nitrogen is formally considered to have been discovered by Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772, who called it noxious air. Though he did not recognise it as an entirely different chemical substance, he clearly distinguished it from Joseph Black's "fixed air", or carbon dioxide. The fact that there was a component of air that does not support combustion was clear to Rutherford. Nitrogen was also studied at about the same time by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Henry Cavendish, and Joseph Priestley, who referred to it as burnt air or phlogisticated air. Nitrogen gas was inert enough that Antoine Lavoisier referred to it as "mephitic air" or azote, from the Greek word ἄζωτος azotos, "lifeless". In it, animals died and flames were extinguished. This "mephitic air" consisted mostly of N₂, but might also have included more than 1% argon. Lavoisier's name for nitrogen is used in many languages (French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Albanian, Turkish, etc.) and still remains in English in the common names of many compounds, such as hydrazine and compounds of the azide ion. The English word nitrogen (1794) entered the language from the French nitrogène, coined in 1790 by French chemist Jean-Antoine Chaptal (1756–1832), from the Greek νίτρον nitron, "sodium carbonate" and the French -gène, "producing" from Greek -γενής -genes, "producer, begetter". The gas had been found in nitric acid. Chaptal's meaning was that nitrogen gas is the essential part of nitric acid, in turn formed from saltpetre (potassium nitrate), then known as niter.

For a long time sources of nitrogen compounds were limited. Natural sources originated either from biology or deposits of nitrates produced by atmospheric reactions. Nitrogen fixation by industrial processes like the Frank–Caro process (1895–1899) and Haber–Bosch process (1908–1913) eased this shortage of nitrogen compounds, to the extent that half of global food production (see applications) now relies on synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. At the same time, use of the Ostwald process (1902) to produce nitrates from industrial nitrogen fixation allowed the large-scale industrial production of nitrates as feedstock in the manufacture of explosives in the World Wars of the 20th century.

Importance of Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a required nutrient for all living organisms to produce a number of complex organic molecules like amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA. The ultimate store of nitrogen is in the atmosphere, where it exists as nitrogen gas (N2).

Bad Effects of Nitrogen

Reactions with haemoglobin in blood, causing the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood to decrease (nitrite), decreased functioning of the thyroid gland (nitrate), Vitamin A shortages (nitrate), fashioning of nitro amines, which are known as one of the most common causes of cancer (nitrates and nitrites) Humans have radically changed natural supplies of nitrates and nitrites. The main cause of the addition of nitrates and nitrites is the extensive use of fertilizers. Combustion processes can also enhance the nitrate and nitrite supplies, due to the emission of nitrogen oxides that can be converted to nitrates and nitrites in the environment. Nitrates and nitrites also form during chemical production and they are used as food conservers. This causes groundwater and surface water nitrogen concentration, and nitrogen in food to increase greatly. The addition of nitrogen bonds in the environment has various effects. Firstly, it can change the composition of species due to susceptibility of certain organisms to the consequences of nitrogen compounds. Secondly, mainly nitrite may cause various health effects in humans and animals. Food that is rich in nitrogen compounds can cause the oxygen transport of the blood to decrease, which can have serious consequences for cattle. High nitrogen uptake can cause problems in the thyroid gland and it can lead to vitamin A shortages. In the animal stomach and intestines nitrates can form nitroamines; dangerously carcinogenic compounds. Experiment Want to see a cool experiment on Carbon? Click the Url Link to see the cool experiment. Nitrogen Video Wasn't that awesome! The rubber, after being frozen in liquid nitrogen, shattered! How Nitrogen is used and The History of Nitrogen Nitrogen is important to the chemical industry. It is used to make fertilisers, nitric acid, nylon, dyes and explosives. To make these products, nitrogen must first be reacted with hydrogen to produce ammonia. This is done by the Haber process. 150 million tonnes of ammonia are produced in this way every year.  Nitrogen gas is also used to provide an unreactive atmosphere. It is used in this way to preserve foods, and in the electronics industry during the production of transistors and diodes. Large quantities of nitrogen are used in annealing stainless steel and other steel mill products. Annealing is a heat treatment that makes steel easier to work. Liquid nitrogen is often used as a refrigerant. It is used for storing sperm, eggs and other cells for medical research and reproductive technology. It is also used to rapidly freeze foods, helping them to maintain moisture, colour, flavour and texture.  Nitrogen is cycled naturally by living organisms through the ‘nitrogen cycle’. It is taken up by green plants and algae as nitrates, and used to build up the bases needed to construct DNA, RNA and all amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.  Animals obtain their nitrogen by consuming other living things. They digest the proteins and DNA into their constituent bases and amino acids, reforming them for their own use.  Microbes in the soil convert the nitrogen compounds back to nitrates for the plants to re-use. The nitrate supply is also replenished by nitrogen-fixing bacteria that ‘fix’ nitrogen directly from the atmosphere.  Crop yields can be greatly increased by adding chemical fertilisers to the soil, manufactured from ammonia. If used carelessly the fertiliser can leach out of the soil into rivers and lakes, causing algae to grow rapidly. This can block out light preventing photosynthesis. The dissolved oxygen soon gets used up and the river or lake dies. Interesting Facts about Nitrogen Nitrogen is a chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number of 7. Under normal conditions nitrogen is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. Nitrogen makes up around 78% of the air you breathe. Nitrogen is present in all living things, including the human body and plants. Nitrogen gas is used in food storage to keep packaged or bulk foods fresh. It is also used in the making of electronic parts, for industrial purposes and has many other useful applications. Nitrogen gas is often used as an alternative to carbon dioxide for storing beer in pressurized kegs. The smaller bubbles it produces is preferred for some types of beer. Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, has an atmosphere nearly entirely made of nitrogen (over 98%). It is the only moon in our solar system known to have a dense atmosphere. Nitrogen is in a liquid state when at a very low temperature. Liquid nitrogen boils at 77 kelvin (−196 °C, −321 °F). It is easily transported and has many useful applications including storing items at cold temperatures, in the field of cryogenics (how materials behave at very low temperatures), as a computer coolant (a fluid used to prevent overheating), removing warts and much more. Decompression sickness (also known as the bends) involves nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and other important areas of the body when people depressurize too quickly from scuba diving. Similar situations can occur for astronauts and those working in unpressurized aircraft. Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas or by its chemical formula N2O) is used in hospitals and dental clinics as an anesthetic (removing or reducing pain and general awareness for various surgeries). Nitrous oxide is also used in motor racing to increase the power of engine and speed of the vehicle. When used for this purpose it is often referred to as nitrous or NOS. Nitrous oxide is a considerable greenhouse gas and air pollutant. By weight is has nearly 300 times more impact than carbon dioxide. Nitroglycerin is a liquid used to create explosives such as dynamite. It is often used in the demolition and constructio n industries as well as by the military. Nitric acid (HNO3) is a strong acid often used in the production of fertilizers. Ammonia (NH3) is another nitrogen compound commonly used in fertilizers.