Nitrogen

History of Nitrogen:

All the trees around the world have a simple make up: 80% H 2 O, 19% Carbohydrates, 1% Other. Actually, that 1% of other is mostly Nitrogen. So with that introduction, we will be discussion the history of nitrogen and its prevalence in trees. Very early on, in 1656, nitrogen was first discovered in trees and found to be a key nutrient. 43 years later, nitrogen was found to be diminished by the soil. In 1747, nitrite is found in trees, specifically the green parts. In 1804, finally, nitrogen is found to be a crucial element in the make up of trees. Lastly, in 1820 nitrogen was noticed to be in, relative, short supply.

Di nitrogen - N 2 Ammonium - (NH 4 ) + Nitrate - (NO 3 ) -

Nitrogen is a very vital element in the growth of plants because nitrates act as fertilizers. This is represented through the Nitrogen cycle.

Nitrogen's atomic number is 7, and symbol is N. Meaning that Nitrogen (N) has 7 protons and has an atomic weight of 14.00643-14.00724 (Which is the amount of protons+ the amount of neutrons.



Nitrogen (N 2 ) isn't very reactive, but is 78% of air and reacts at high temperatures. Nitrogen monoxide (nitric oxide) is a high concentration to react further with air to form NO 2 (a secondary pollutant). -Nitrogen is tasteless, colorless, and odorless. -The human body is 3% nitrogen by weight. -Nitrogen is a non-metal. -Nitrogen is responsible for the various colors you see in the aurora. -Nitrogen can have a valence of either 3 or 5. -Electron Configuration:1s2 2s2 2p3. (Nitrogen Light Spectrum) (Picture of Liquid Nitrogen)

__**The Nitrogen Cycle:**__ The Nitrogen Cycle occurs when the element from the air is emerged into the biosphere. It explains the movement of this process and also shows that Nitrogen occurs in all living organisms.

Production
Nitrogen gas is an [|industrial gas] produced by the fractional [|distillation] of liquid [|air], or by mechanical means using gaseous air (i.e., pressurized reverse [|osmosis membrane] or [|Pressure swing adsorption] ). Commercial nitrogen is often a byproduct of air-processing for industrial concentration of [|oxygen] for steelmaking and other purposes. When supplied compressed in cylinders it is often called OFN (oxygen-free nitrogen). [|[6]] In a chemical laboratory it is prepared by treating an aqueous solution of [|ammonium chloride] with [|sodium nitrite]. NH4Cl(aq) + NaNO2(aq) → N2(g) + NaCl(aq) + 2 H2O (l) Small amounts of impurities NO and HNO3 are also formed in this reaction. The impurities can be removed by passing the gas through aqueous sulfuric acid containing [|potassium dichromate]. Very pure nitrogen can be prepared by the thermal decomposition of barium or [|sodium azide]. 2 NaN3 → 2 Na + 3 N2

Reactions
In general, nitrogen is unreactive at standard temperature and pressure. N2 reacts spontaneously with few [|reagents], being resilient to [|acids] and [|bases] as well as oxidants and most reductants. When nitrogen reacts spontaneously with a reagent, the net transformation is often called [|nitrogen fixation]. Nitrogen reacts with elemental [|lithium]. [|[13]] Lithium burns in an atmosphere of N2 to give [|lithium nitride] : 6 Li + N2 → 2 Li3N [|Magnesium] also burns in nitrogen, forming [|magnesium nitride]. 3 Mg + N2 → Mg3N2 N2 forms a variety of [|adducts] with transition metals. The first example of a [|dinitrogen complex] is [Ru(NH3)5(N2)]2+ (see figure at right). However, it is interesting to note that the N2 ligand was obtained by the decomposition of hydrazine, and not coordination of free dinitrogen. Such compounds are now numerous, other examples include IrCl(N2)(PPh3)2, W(N2)2( [|Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2] )2, and [(η5-C5Me4H)2Zr]2( [|μ] 2, [|η] 2,η2-N2). These [|complexes] illustrate how N2 might bind to the metal(s) in [|nitrogenase] and the [|catalyst] for the [|Haber process]. [|[14]] A catalytic process to [|reduce] N2 to ammonia with the use of a [|molybdenum] complex in the presence of a proton source was published in 2005. [|[13]] The starting point for industrial production of nitrogen compounds is the [|Haber process], in which nitrogen is fixed by reacting N2 and H2 over an iron(II, III) oxide ( Fe3O4 ) catalyst at about 500 °C and 200 atmospheres pressure. Biological nitrogen fixation in free-living [|cyanobacteria] and in the [|root nodules] of plants also produces ammonia from molecular nitrogen. The reaction, which is the source of the bulk of nitrogen in the [|biosphere], is catalyzed by the [|nitrogenase] [|enzyme] complex that contains Fe and Mo atoms, using energy derived from hydrolysis of [|adenosine triphosphate] (ATP) into [|adenosine diphosphate] and [|inorganic] [|phosphate] (−20.5 kJ/mol).

Isotopes
There are two stable [|isotopes] of nitrogen: 14N and 15N. By far the most common is 14N (99.634%), which is produced in the [|CNO cycle] in [|stars]. Of the ten isotopes produced synthetically, 13N has a [|half-life] of ten minutes and the remaining isotopes have half-lives on the order of seconds or less. Biologically mediated reactions (e.g., [|assimilation], [|nitrification] , and [|denitrification] ) strongly control nitrogen dynamics in the soil. These reactions typically result in 15N enrichment of the [|substrate] and depletion of the [|product]. A small part (0.73%) of the molecular nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere is the [|isotopologue] 14N15N, and almost all the rest is 14N2. Radioisotope 16N is the dominant radionuclide in the coolant of [|pressurized water reactors] or [|boiling water reactors] during normal operation. It is produced from 16O (in water) via [|(n,p) reaction]. It has a short half-life of about 7.1 s, but during its decay back to 16O produces high-energy [|gamma radiation] (5 to 7 MeV). Because of this, the access to the primary coolant piping in a pressurized water reactor must be restricted during reactor power operation. [|[12]] 16N is one of the main means used to immediately detect even small leaks from the primary coolant to the secondary steam cycle. In similar fashion, access to any of the steam cycle components in a boiling water reactor nuclear power plant must be restricted during operation. Condensate from the condenser is typically retained for 10 minutes to allow for decay of the 16N. This eliminates the need to shield and restrict access to any of the feed water piping or pumps.