Nitrogen (N)
| Atomic Number | 7 |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 14.007 u |
| Category | Diatomic nonmetal |
| Electron Config | [He] 2s² 2p³ |
| Appearance | colorless gas, liquid or solid |
| Density (STP) | 1.251 g/L |
| Melting Point | 63.15 K |
| Boiling Point | 77.355 K |
| Electronegativity | 3.04 (Pauling) |
| Ionization Energy | 1402.3 kJ/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 65 pm |
| Crystal Structure | Simple Hexagonal |
| Discovered By | Daniel Rutherford (1772) |
Brief Introduction
Nitrogen (N) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas that makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere. It is relatively inert due to the strong triple bond in N₂ molecules. Key details about Nitrogen (N) are as follows:
Uses: Primarily used in ammonia production for fertilizers (Haber-Bosch process), as an inert atmosphere in food packaging and chemical processing, in cryogenics (liquid nitrogen), for manufacturing nitric acid, explosives, and in semiconductor fabrication.
Production/Extraction: Produced industrially through fractional distillation of liquid air. Cryogenic separation is the most common method. Also produced via pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and membrane separation for lower purity applications.
History: Discovered by Daniel Rutherford in 1772, though also studied by Cavendish, Priestley, and Scheele around the same time. Named by Jean-Antoine Chaptal in 1790 from Greek "nitron genes" (nitre-forming).
Health Effects & Safety: Non-toxic but can cause asphyxiation by displacing oxygen in confined spaces. Liquid nitrogen can cause severe frostbite. Nitrogen narcosis affects divers at depth. Essential for amino acids and proteins in all living organisms.
Price/Market: Relatively inexpensive due to atmospheric abundance. Liquid nitrogen is widely available. Nitrogen fertilizers are crucial for global food security.
Properties: Very low reactivity at room temperature, becomes liquid at -196°C, forms strong triple bonds (N≡N), essential component of proteins and nucleic acids, and has multiple oxidation states in compounds.
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