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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Nitrogen – N

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Nitrogen is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Nitrogen. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one studies. Using the "Periodic Table of Elements Quick Navigation" graphic at the bottom of the sidebar menu, one can quickly jump from chemical element to chemical element.

Nitrogen Menu

• Nitrogen Page One
  • Overview of Nitrogen
  • Nitrogen's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Nitrogen
  • Chemical Properties of Nitrogen
  • Physical Properties of Nitrogen
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Nitrogen Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Nitrogen Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Nitrogen

Overview of Nitrogen

• Atomic Number:7
• Group: 15
• Period: 2
• Series: Nonmetals

Nitrogen's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Nitrogenium
• Czech: Dusík
• Croatian: Duik
• French: Azote
• German: Stickstoff - r
• Italian: Azoto
• Norwegian: Nitrogen
• Portuguese: Nitrogênio
• Russian:
• Spanish: Nitrógeno
• Swedish: Kväve

Atomic Structure of Nitrogen

• Atomic Radius: 0.75Å
• Atomic Volume: 17.3cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius: 0.75Å
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture) _a/barns: 1.91
• Crystal Structure: Hexagonal

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p³

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,5

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 0.13Å
• Filling Orbital: 2p³
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 7
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 7
• Number of Protons: 7
• Oxidation States: ±3,5,4,2
• Valence Electrons: 2s²p³

  Electron Dot Model
  

Chemical Properties of Nitrogen

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 0.10452g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function:
• Electronegativity: 3.04 (Pauling); 3.07 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 0.3604kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 14.534
  • Second: 29.601
  • Third: 47.448
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 550

Physical Properties of Nitrogen

• Atomic Mass Average: 14.00674
• Boiling Point: 77.5K -195.65°C -320.17°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: N/A
• Conductivity

  Electrical:
  Thermal: 0.0002598 W/cmK

• Density: 1.2506g/L @ 273K & 1atm
• Description:

  Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas

• Enthalpy of Atomization: 472.8 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 0.36 kJ/mole
• Enthalpy of Vaporization: 2.79 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class:
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Heat of Vaporization: 2.7928kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 63.29K -209.86°C -345.75°F
  
• Molar Volume: 17.3 cm³/mole
• Optical Refractive Index: 1.000298 (gas) 1.197 (liquid)
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Gas
• Specific Heat: 1.04J/gK

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 7727-37-9
• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
  • No limits set by OSHA
• OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
  • No limits set by OSHA
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
  • No limits set by NIOSH
• Levels In Humans:
  Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
  • Blood/mg dm^-3: 34300
  • Bone/p.p.m: 43000
  • Liver/p.p.m: 72000
  • Muscle/p.p.m: 72000
  • Daily Dietary Intake: n/a
  • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: 1.8 kg
• Discovery Year: 1772
• Name Origin:

  Greek: zôê (vie).

• Abundance of Nitrogen:
  • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: 25
  • Seawater/p.p.m.:
    • Atlantic Suface: 0.00008
    • Atlantic Deep: 0.27
    • Pacific Surface: 0.00008
    • Pacific Deep: 0.54
  • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: 780900
  • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): 8.71E+07
• Sources of Nitrogen:

  Nitrogen can be made by liquification and then fractional distillation of the air. It is very easily done commercially. It can also be made by heating NaN3 to 300 degrees C. Annual world wide production is around 44,000,000 tons.

• Uses of Nitrogen:

  Nitrogen has many industrial uses in the gaseous forms, but probably the most interesting is liquid nitrogen, which is extremely cold. Items that must be frozen to extremely low temperatures for preservation are frequently stored in liquid nitrogen. Fertility clinics store sperm, eggs and embryos used to help infertile couples become pregnant in ampoules in liquid nitrogen.Since nitrogen gas is very stable, at standard temperature and pressure, it is used as the air in inert welding atmospheres. Documents, foods and chemicals are sometimes stored in nitrogen to keep them from oxidizing or reacting with air or water.

• Additional Notes:

  Nitrogen in the elemental form was considered to be inert and was even named ozote which refers to the fact that it is not reactive. Of course nitrogen does form compounds, but the gaseous form consists of diamers (2 nitrogens bonded together). The diamer is very stable.

  Nitrogen is a major element in organic compounds, especially proteins. Some nitrogen compounds are highly reactive. Trinitrotoluene is TNT or dynamite. Ammonium Nitrate is a fertilizer, but was used as the major explosive ingredient in the Oklahoma City bombing. Anfo, or Ammonium Nitrate and fuel oil mixture is the primary explosive used in the mining industry because it is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and can be easily manufactured near the mine site thus reducing the risks and expenses related to the transportation of explosives. Nitrates, Nitrites and Azides (all nitrogen compounds are either oxidizers or reactives and will react violently under the right conditions.

[Last update: 2/22/2007]

Notes below

Nitrogen Menu

• Nitrogen Page One
  • Overview of Nitrogen
  • Nitrogen's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Nitrogen
  • Chemical Properties of Nitrogen
  • Physical Properties of Nitrogen
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Nitrogen Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Nitrogen Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Nitrogen

Related Resources

• Anatomy of the Atom
  Answers many questions regarding the structure of atoms.
• Molarity, Molality and Normality
  Introduces stoichiometry and explains the differences between molarity, molality and normality.
• Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
  Molar mass calculations are explained and there is a JavaScript calculator to aid calculations.
• Chemical Database
  This database focuses on the most common chemical compounds used in the home and industry.

Citing this page

If you need to cite this page, you can copy this text:

Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements - Nitrogen – N. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. 1995 - 2008. Accessed on-line: 7/4/2008
http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic/N.html
.