Nitrogen: Nitrogen

Located at Group 15 and Period 2 of the Periodic Table is the most common gas in the Earth's Atmosphere. This is Nitrogen.

First discovered in 1772 by Daniel Rutherford, and first isolated also by Daniel Rutherford in 1772.

Daniel Rutherford

Nitrogen was discovered by the Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772. Daniel Rutherford removed oxygen and carbon dioxide from air and showed that the residual gas would not support combustion or living organisms. ... They called it "burnt" or" dephlogisticated air," which meant air without oxygen.

Today, Nitrogen can be isolated by using Cryogenic Distillation. Cryogenic Distillation is the most popular method of extraction of nitrogen. About 85% of nitrogen is produced by this method. Cryogenic distillation utilizes differences in boiling points of the air components. The air is cooled down to the state of boiling liquid.

Cryogenic Distillation

Nitrogen is the fifth most abundant element in the universe and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere, which contains an estimated 4,000 trillion tons of the gas. The largest use of nitrogen is for the production of ammonia (NH3).

Nitrogen, gas that is the most plentiful element in Earth's atmosphere. ... About four-fifths of Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen, which was isolated and recognized as a specific substance during early investigations.

The main effect of breathing in raised levels of nitrogen dioxide is causing respiratory problems. Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lungs. This can reduce immunity to lung infections. This can also cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis.

But, don't worry! Whenever Nitrogen in air is inhaled, our body will automatically discard Nitrogen from our body, like Carbon Dioxide!

Atomic Number : 7
Name : Nitrogen
Latin Name : Nitrogenium
Electrons per Shell : [ 2, 5 ]
Discoverer : Daniel Rutherford ( 1772 )
Isolator : Daniel Rutherford ( 1772 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 11.0067 u
: Density : 1.2506 g/cm³
: Type : Non - Metals
Chemical Properties :

Nitrogen - 14

colourless gas
colourless liquid or solid
reactive at room temperature
Isotopes :
Nitrogen - 13 : Protons : 7
: Neutrons : 6
: Electrons : 7
( Half life: 9.965 min )

Nitrogen - 14 : Protons : 7
: Neutrons : 7
: Electrons: 7
( Half life: Stable )

Nitrogen - 15 : Protons : 7
: Neutrons : 8
: Electrons : 7
( Half life: Stable )

Physical Properties :

Colorless
Odorless
Non - Metallic
Tasteless
Melting Point : -210 degrees Celsius ( -346 Fahrenheit )
Boiling Point : - 195.8 degrees Celsius ( -320.44 Fahrenheit )

How Nitrogen got its name?

Nitrogen was named by French chemist Jean-Antoine Chaptal in 1790. He named it after the mineral niter when he found that niter contained the gas. Niter is also called saltpeter or potassium nitrate.

Uses

Nitrogen is important to the chemical industry. It is used to make fertilisers, nitric acid, nylon, dyes and explosives. To make these products, nitrogen must first be reacted with hydrogen to produce ammonia.