Nitrogen, N

This is a picture of colourless nitrogen gas in a flask This is a picture to depict the electron configuration of antimony
This is a picture of nitrogen it is adapted by Dr Mark Winter with permission from Prof James Marshall's (U. North Texas, USA) Walking Tour of the elements CD This is a picture to depict the electron configuration of nitrogen, this picture is courtesy of Dr Mark Winter's 'webelements' web site

General Information

Electron
Configuration		 Atomic
Number		 Relative
Atomic Mass		 Isotopes Melting
Point		 Boiling
Point		 Pauling
Eletronegativity		 Density Element class
1s22s22p3 7 14.01 14(99.63%),
15(0.37%)		 63K 77K 3.04 1.3gcm-3 Non Metal

Discovery

Nitrogen was discovered by Daniel Rutherford (1749 - 1819) in 1772; he removed oxygen 02 and carbon dioxide CO2 from the air and proved that the remaining gas could not support life or combustion.

Occurrence

Nitrogen N2 makes up about 77% of our atmosphere and is among the most common organic molecules along with oxygen after carbon and hydrogen. It is also common in many industrial processes such as the Haber process (to make ammonia).

Common Uses

There are many uses of nitrogen such as:

  1. Forms most of atmosphere (in process dilutes the oxygen concentration of air to acceptable levels)
  2. Fertilisers (ammonia)
  3. Explosives (trinitrotoluene-TNT, nitro-glycerine)
  4. Azo dyes (for clothes)
  5. Cyanides
  6. Azides
  7. Inert atmospheres (in industry and laboratory)

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Author: Andrew Moore

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