Nitrogen is an element on the periodic table with the symbol N and the atomic number 7. Nitrogen is the most lightweight element in group 15 on the periodic table. It is part of every protein, the most abundant component of air, and is used in the production of fertilizers, nitric acid, nylon, dyes, and explosives.

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Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

• In 1790, when it was discovered that nitrogen could be found in nitric acid and nitrates, a French scientist by the name of Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal came up with the name “nitrogène” for this element.
• Due to the fact that nitrogen gas is capable of suffocating its victims, French chemist Antoine Lavoisier referred to it as “mephitic air” or azote. These names originate from the Greek term azotikos, which translates to “no life.”
• Animals perished and fires were put out in an environment that was composed entirely of nitrogen.

DISCOVERY

• Daniel Rutherford, a Scottish physician, is credited with discovering nitrogen in 1772. He referred to it as “noxious air” at the time of his discovery.
• Sal ammonia was the name given to the element nitrogen when it was in the form of ammonium chloride. It was produced in Egypt by boiling a combination of dung, salt, and urine until it became a solid. Henry Cavendish and Joseph Priestley were the first people to extract nitrogen gas from the air in the 1760s. They achieved this by first eliminating oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere. They saw that it extinguished a burning candle and that a mouse that breathed it would shortly pass away.

PROPERTIES

• Nitrogen is the most lightweight element in group 15 of the periodic table, which is also known as the pnictogens. 
• It can be found on the second row and in the fifteenth group of elements. It is under the p-block, which contains all three types of metals. At 68°F, it is in a solid state, while nitrogen’s melting point is -346°F and its boiling point is -320°F. It has a density of 0.001145 g/cm3 and an atomic mass of 14.007. 
• Nitrogen is a common gas that is typically odorless, tasteless, and colorless. It is mostly composed of diatomic molecules and is a nonmetal. Because it possesses five electrons in its outer shell, it is typically found in trivalent compounds.

NITROGEN COMPOUNDS

• Ammonia is a colorless gas with a smell described as strong and disagreeable. Ammonia is produced by combining significant amounts of nitrogen with hydrogen. About 80% of the ammonia generated is used by the agricultural industry in fertilizer. 
• In addition to its usage as a refrigerant gas, ammonia also plays a role in the purification of public water supplies, the production of plastics, explosives, textiles, insecticides, and dyes, as well as other chemical applications.
• Nitric acid is another well-known and widely used chemical that contains nitrogen. It is a highly corrosive liquid that is odorless and colorless. It finds widespread application in the manufacture of explosives, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers.
• When breathed, nitrous oxide, more often known as laughing gas, can cause a state of mild hysteria. For this reason, it is occasionally employed as an anesthetic. Nitrogen dioxide, a potent oxidizing agent that is used in chemical processes and rocket fuel, is produced when nitric oxide reacts with oxygen to yield brown nitrogen dioxide. This reaction is an intermediate step in the production of nitric acid.
• The vast majority of nitrate produced by industry is used as fertilizer on agricultural land or on lawns. Nitrate and nitrite are also utilized for preserving food, in the creation of some medications, and in the manufacturing of explosives and armaments.
• Ammonium nitrate, commonly known as NH4NO3, is a salt formed from ammonia and nitric acid. In addition to its usage as a nitrogenous component of artificial fertilizers, ammonium nitrate may also be utilized as an explosive when coupled with fuel oil.
• Nitrate and nitrite are two different nitrogen molecules that are required for life and growth in all organisms, including plants and animals. They are found in the earth, the water, and the air naturally. Nitrite and nitrate are also products of the body’s metabolic processes.
  • Nitrate has a nitrogen oxidation number of +5. It has a nitrogen atom in the center and three oxygen atoms around it, forming a trigonal planar shape. It can form strong nitric acid and can also be reduced to nitrites. Most uses of nitrates include fertilizers and explosives due to its strong properties.
  • Nitrite has an oxidation number of +3. It has a nitrogen atom in the center and two oxygen atoms around it, forming a bent shape. It can form weak nitrous acids and can also be oxidized from nitrates. Common uses of nitrites are as a food preservative.

• Nitrogen is the element that is found in the most abundantly pure form on earth. It accounts for 78.1% of the volume of the atmosphere (75.5% by mass), which is equivalent to around 3.89 million gigatonnes. Despite this, it is not particularly plentiful in the crust of the earth, making up somewhere around 19 parts per million of this substance, the same amount as niobium, gallium, and lithium.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Nitrogen chemistry is dominated by the exceptionally powerful triple bond in elemental nitrogen (NN), the second strongest bond in any diatomic molecule after carbon monoxide (CO). This makes it difficult for organisms and industries to convert N2 into compounds that are useful, but at the same time, it means that large amounts of energy can be released when nitrogen compounds are burned, exploded, or decomposed to form nitrogen gas. This energy can be put to a variety of different uses. 
• Nitrogen is the element that causes the aurora to appear orange-red, blue-green, blue-violet, and deep violet.
• Nitrogen is one of the primary components in the production of proteins, which are necessary for the development of genetic material in the human body. All types of life require it. To create the proteins that make up our muscles, skin, blood, hair, nails, and DNA, our body needs nitrogen. Nitrogen is ingested through plants or animals that have eaten nitrogen-rich vegetation. Meat, fish, beans, nuts, eggs, milk, and a few other dairy products are examples of such foods.

USES OF NITROGEN

• The cryogenic liquid known as liquid nitrogen has the same appearance as water. Liquid nitrogen is frequently used as a chilling agent. For the purposes of medical research and reproductive technologies, it is utilized for the storage of sperm, eggs, and other types of cells. In addition, it can be used to swiftly freeze meals, which helps the contents keep their original moisture content, color, flavor, and texture.
• It makes a more budget-friendly alternative to argon in incandescent light bulbs.
• Nitrogen is also used during the production of stainless steel, to reduce the issues of inconsistent expansion and contraction caused by moisture and oxygen in the air, so that racing cars and aircraft tires can be inflated with compressed air instead of natural air.
• Because nitrogen produces smaller bubbles than carbon dioxide, it can be used in place of carbon dioxide or in combination with it to pressurize the kegs of certain beers, particularly British ales and stouts. This results in the beer being dispensed with a smoother consistency and a thicker head.

THE NITROGEN CYCLE

• The term “nitrogen cycle” refers to the process through which nitrogen is naturally recycled by living organisms. The nitrogen cycle is a recurring cycle of activities that involve the movement of nitrogen across a variety of environments and organisms, both living and nonliving, including the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals, and bacteria. Microorganisms are living organisms typically comprising only a single cell and may be found all around us. Decomposition, often known as the breaking down of organic matter, can be caused by bacteria in the soil.

Stage 1: Nitrogen Fixation

• At this point, nitrogen is transferred from the surrounding air into the soil. A significant quantity of nitrogen gas is found in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, plants are unable to use this nitrogen since it is in a gaseous state, which cannot be directly used by plants without going through a transformation. Nitrogen must first be converted through a process known as nitrogen fixation before it can be utilized by plants. Through a process known as fixation, nitrogen in the air is transformed into a form that plants can then take up through their root systems.

Stage 2: Mineralization

• This part of the process happens in the soil. An inorganic form of nitrogen that can be used by plants is produced when nitrogen from organic elements such as feces or plant materials is transformed.
• In due time, all of the plant’s nutrients will be used, and the plant will subsequently perish and break down. The significance of this process will become clear in the subsequent stage of the nitrogen cycle. Mineralization occurs when bacteria interact with organic material, such as animal waste or decaying plants or animal waste, and begin to convert it into a form of nitrogen that plants can utilize.

Stage 3: Nitrification

• Nitrification is the third step, and it also takes place in soils. The process of nitrification involves the transformation of ammonia in the soil, which was created as a byproduct of mineralization, into two different types of compounds: nitrites (NO2-) and nitrates (NO3-). Nitrates have a variety of applications for plants and the animals that eat the plants.

Stage 4: Immobilization

• Immobilization, the fourth step of the nitrogen cycle, is frequently referred to as the opposite of mineralization. Immobilization occurs when nitrogen atoms are bound to other molecules. Together, these two mechanisms are responsible for regulating the quantity of nitrogen found in soils. When there is not enough nitrogen in the plant remnants that are being broken down, certain microbes in the soil will take nitrogen from the soil itself. Therefore, immobilization prevents nitrogen from escaping from bacteria.

Stage 5: Denitrification

• Here, bacteria convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen. This is the step at which nitrogen is returned to the air after having been removed from it. As a consequence of this, nitrogen in its gaseous form is released back into the atmosphere, which ultimately results in a net loss of nitrogen in the soil.

HEALTH CONCERNS

• Nitrogen is not poisonous, but when it is released into a confined room, it has the potential to displace oxygen and create a situation in which someone may suffocate. Nitrogen is an anesthetic substance that, when breathed at high partial pressures, results in nitrogen narcosis. 
• Nitrogen narcosis is a transient condition of mental impairment comparable to the intoxication caused by nitrous oxide.
• Liquid nitrogen is a cryogenic liquid that can be harmful since it causes cold burns on contact; nevertheless, the Leidenfrost effect provides safety for extremely short exposures to the substance (about one second). If liquid nitrogen is ingested, it can cause serious damage to internal organs.
• Nitrates are another source of nitrogen that can be taken in through food. Protein is the primary source of nitrogen that is taken in through diet, but nitrates can also be absorbed. For instance, nitrate, often employed as a preservative, is found in many processed meals and meats.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the majority of instances, the extent of exposure to nitrates from food is not sufficient to create adverse effects on one’s health (CDC). However, prolonged exposure might result in symptoms such as cramping in the abdomen and vomiting, as well as a drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate.
• People use nitrogen in their fertilizers as it hastens the growth of their crops. However, overuse of these fertilizers in agricultural production can have negative effects on both the natural world and human health as a result of the fact that it has led to the contamination of both surface water and groundwater.
• Decompression sickness (DCS), more popularly referred to as “the bends,” occurs when the body’s pressure is lowered, which results in the formation of nitrogen gas bubbles in the circulation and organs.
• After diving, Cutis marmorata skin symptoms, which typically manifest as an itchy or uncomfortable cutaneous red-bluish discoloration, are thought to be a mild form of DCS. These symptoms can be treated with oxygen inhalation without switching to hyperbaric recompression therapy.

Nitrogen Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Nitrogen across 32 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Nitrogen, which is the most lightweight element in group 15 on the periodic table.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Nitrogen Facts
2. I Came From Nitrogen
3. Unscramble Me
4. Get To Know Me
5. Many Me
6. Fact or False?
7. I Learned That…
8. Molecular Analysis
9. A Nitrogen-Free Earth
10. The Nitrogen Cycle
11. Complete The Thought

Frequently Asked Questions

Is nitrogen flammable?

Nitrogen gas is a type of element that is colorless, odorless, and does not burn efficiently. Therefore, it is not harmful to humans. However, the most significant danger of exposure to nitrogen gas happens when people breathe in too much of it, pushing out the oxygen in their lungs.

Why is nitrogen so important?

Nitrogen is an indispensable part of life, found in the soils and plants we consume, water that keeps us hydrated, and air that sustains our breathing. But its importance doesn’t stop there – nitrogen plays a crucial role in constructing DNA which dictates our genetics! Moreover, nitrogen supports plant growth to cultivate food for all living beings.

Is nitrogen rare on Earth?

Aptly referred to as the life-giving gas, nitrogen makes up 78% of Earth’s air composition. In stark contrast, Mars’ atmosphere only contains a mere 2.6% concentration of nitrogen, making it utterly inhospitable for humans living there without any protective gear or measures.

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