Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a nonmetal chemical element. It has the chemical symbol N and atomic number 7. Its stable nuclei typically contains 14 nucleons (7 protons and 7 neutrons). It has 5 electrons in its outermost shell.

Properties

Cup of liquid nitrogen

Nitrogen is a colorless odorless gas at normal temperature. It is normally bonded to another nitrogen atom, making a nitrogen molecule (N₂). The bond is very strong. That is why many explosives contain nitrogen. The bond is broken when the explosive is made. When it explodes the bond forms, releasing a lot of energy.

It turns into a liquid at -195.8°C and turns into a solid at -210°C. If it is compressed, it can be turned into a liquid without making it cold.

It is very unreactive because of its strong bond. The bond prevents it from reacting. Lithium is one of the only chemical elements that react with nitrogen without being heated. Magnesium can burn in nitrogen. Nitrogen also makes blue electric sparks. The blue color is caused by the atoms being excited. When they get normal again, they release light. When nitrogen is excited, it reacts with many things that it does not normally react with.

A nice electric spark through a tube filled with nitrogen

Occurrence and preparation

Air is made up of about 78% nitrogen and about 22% oxygen. It is also in a few nitrates in the ground. Ammonium minerals are rare. Nitrogen is in proteins.

Pure liquid nitrogen can be made by cooling air. The nitrogen turns into a liquid at a different temperature than the oxygen. It can also be made by heating certain chemical compounds, such as sodium azide.

Uses

Liquid nitrogen used to freeze a balloon

Nitrogen as an element is used to prevent things from reacting with the oxygen in the air. It can be used to fill chip bags and incandescent bulbs. It is also used to fill some tires. It can be used to make electric components like transistors. Liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze things.

Nitrogen compounds have many uses, such as anesthetics (nitrous oxide), explosives (dynamite), cleaners (ammonia), and meat (protein).

History

Nitrogen was discovered by Daniel Rutherford in 1772, who called it noxious gas or fixed gas. They discovered that part of air did not burn. It was found that animals died in it. It was known as "azote". Many nitrogen compounds also contain the "azide" or "azine" letters, such as hydrazine.

In 1910, Lord Rayleigh found out that when a spark was passed through nitrogen, it made a reactive form of nitrogen. This nitrogen reacted with many metals and compounds.

Safety

Nitrogen is not poisonous. We can safely breathe it when it is a part of air, but we cannot breathe pure nitrogen by itself, because it does not have the oxygen that we need to live. Someone that breaths in pure nitrogen will just fall asleep and die.

Other pages

• Periodic table
• List of common elements
• Nitrogen compounds