N
14.007Nitrogen
Azot
Nitrogen is a nonmetal gas that makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere by volume. It is essential in proteins, DNA and RNA, and it is widely used to make ammonia, fertilizers and inert atmospheres.
7
14.007 g/mol
[He] 2s² 2p³
2 | 5
3.04
1.17e-3 g/cm³
-210.0 °C
-195.8 °C
Daniel Rutherford
Nitrogen was identified by Daniel Rutherford in 1772 when he studied air that no longer supported combustion or life. Its name is linked to nitre-forming compounds.
Nitrogen-14
Natural abundance: About 99.63%. The dominant stable isotope of nitrogen.Nitrogen-15
Natural abundance: About 0.37%. Stable isotope used in tracing and NMR studies.NH₃
AmmoniaKey feedstock for fertilizers and many nitrogen chemicals.HNO₃
Nitric AcidImportant industrial acid used in fertilizers, explosives and chemical production.NO₂
Nitrogen DioxideReactive nitrogen oxide involved in air pollution and industrial chemistry.N₂O
Nitrous OxideUsed in medicine and food applications, and also a greenhouse gas.- Ammonia production by the Haber process for fertilizers
- Inert atmospheres for food packaging and electronics manufacturing
- Liquid nitrogen for cryogenic cooling and rapid freezing
- Production of nitric acid, nylon, dyes and explosives
- Steel processing and controlled-atmosphere heat treatment
Nitrogen is essential to living organisms because it is found in amino acids, proteins, DNA and RNA. Plants obtain usable nitrogen through nitrogen fixation and nitrogen-containing nutrients.
- Most atmospheric nitrogen exists as N₂, a very stable molecule.
- The N≡N triple bond is extremely strong, which is why atmospheric nitrogen must be fixed before most organisms can use it.
- The Haber-Bosch process is one of the most important industrial reactions because it supplies ammonia for fertilizers.
- Nitrogen fixation converts atmospheric nitrogen into forms living organisms can use.
- Liquid nitrogen boils at a very low temperature and is widely used for cooling.
- Nitrogen has atomic number 7 and belongs to group 15.
- Its electron configuration is [He] 2s² 2p³.
- Nitrogen has five valence electrons and often forms three covalent bonds.
- Nitrogen oxidation states range from -3 in ammonia to +5 in nitric acid.
What is the atomic number of nitrogen?
The atomic number of nitrogen is 7.
What is the electron configuration of nitrogen?
Nitrogen has the electron configuration [He] 2s² 2p³.
How much nitrogen is in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere by volume.
Why is nitrogen fixation important?
Nitrogen fixation converts very stable atmospheric N₂ into usable nitrogen compounds that plants and ecosystems can use.
Why is the Haber-Bosch process important?
The Haber-Bosch process converts nitrogen and hydrogen into ammonia, which is the basis of many fertilizers.
What is nitrogen used for?
Nitrogen is used for ammonia and fertilizer production, inert atmospheres, liquid nitrogen cooling, nitric acid and steel processing.