NITROGEN
NITROGEN GROUP
| Atomic number: | 7 |
| Group numbers: | 15 |
| Period: | 2 |
| Electronic configuration: | [He] 2s2 2p3 |
| Formal oxidation number: | -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 |
| Electronegativities: | 3.04 |
| Atomic radius / pm: | 54.9 |
| Relative atomic mass: | [14.006 43, 14.007 28] |
Nitrogen was discovered by Daniel Rutherford (GB) in 1772. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words nitron genes meaning nitre and forming and the Latin word nitrum (nitre is a common name for potassium nitrate, KNO3). It is a colourless, odourless, generally inert gas, minimally reactive at room temperature. Nitrogen is a component of many organic and inorganic compounds and makes up about 78% of earth's atmosphere. Nitrogen is obtained from liquid air by fractional distillation. Nitrogen is primarily used to produce ammonia and other fertilizers and for making nitric acid, which is used in explosives. It is also used in welding and enhanced oil recovery. The price of 99.999 % pure nitrogen gas costs 177.10 €/dm3 in small quantities (1 dm3) and about 2.05 €/dm3 in large quantities (300 dm3).
| Density / g dm-3: | 1026 | (21 K) |
| 880 | (m.p.) | |
| 1.2506 | (gas, 273 K) | |
| Molar volume / cm3mol-1: | 13.65 | (21 K) |
| 15.92 | (m.p.) | |
| 22399.97 | (gas, 273 K) | |
| Electrical resistivity / µΩcm: | - | (20 °C) |
| Thermal conductivity / W m-1K-1: | 0.0258 |
| Melting point / °C: | -210.00 |
| Boiling point / °C: | -195.8 |
| Heat of fusion / kJ mol-1: | 0.72 |
| Heat of vaporization / kJ mol-1: | 5.577 |
| Heat of atomization / kJ mol-1: | 470.842 |
| First ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 1402.34 |
| Second ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 2856.11 |
| Third ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 4578.19 |
| in the atmosphere / ppm: | 780900 |
| in the Earth's crust / ppm: | 20 |
| in the oceans / ppm: | 0.8 |
| Crystal structure: | hexagonal |
| Unit-cell dimensions / pm: | a=404.2, c=660.1 |
| Space group: | P63/mmc |
| Isotope | Relative atomic mass | Mass percent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 14N | 14.003074005(1) | 99.634(9) |
| 15N | 15.000108898(1) | 0.366(9) |
| Balanced half-reaction | Eo / V | |
|---|---|---|
| N2(g) + 6H+ + 6e- → 2NH3(g) | +0.057 | |
| N2(g) + 2H2O + 6H+ + 6e- → 2NH×H2O | +0.092 | |
| N2(g) + 8H+ + 6e- → 2NH4+ | +0.275 | |
| N2(g) + 5H+ + 4e- → N2H5+ | - 0.23 | |
| NO3- + 2H+ + e- → NO2(g) + H2O | +0.775 | |
| 2NO3- + 4H+ + 2e- → N2O4(g) + 2H2O | +0.80 | |
| NO3- + 3H+ + 2e- → HNO2 + H2O | +0.94 | |
| NO3- + 3H+ + 2e- → HNO2 + H2O | +0.92 | (1 mol dm-3 HNO3) |
| NO3- + 2H+ + 2e- → NO2- + H2O | +0.835 | |
| NO3- + 4H+ + 3e- → NO(g) + H2O | +0.96 | |
| NO2(g) + e- → NO2- | +0.893 | |
| NO2(g) + H+ + e- → HNO2 | +1.093 | |
| NO2(g) + 2H+ + 2e- → NO(g) + H2O | +1.049 | |
| 2NO2(g) + 6H+ + 6e- → N2O(g) + 3H2O | +1.229 | |
| 2NO2(g) + 8H+ + 8e- → N2(g) + 4H2O | +1.363 | |
| NO2- + 2H+ + e- → NO(g) + H2O | +1.202 | |
| HNO2 + H+ + e- → NO(g) + H2O | +1.00 | |
| 2NO2- + 6H+ + 4e- → N2O(g) + 3H2O | +1.396 | |
| 2HNO2 + 4H+ + 4e- → N2O(g) + 3H2O | +1.297 | |
| 2NO2- + 8H+ + 6e- → N2(g) + 4H2O | +1.520 | |
| 2HNO2 + 6H+ + 6e- → N2(g) + 4H2O | +1.454 | |
| NO2- + 7H+ + 6e- → NH3(g) + 2H2O | +0.789 | |
| NO2- + 7H+ + 6e- → NH×H2O + H2O | +0.806 | |
| HNO2 + 7H+ + 6e- → NH4+ + 2H2O | +0.864 | |
| 2NO(g) + 2H+ + 2e- → N2O(g) + H2O | +1.591 | |
| 2NO(g) + 4H+ + 4e- → N2(g) + 2H2O | +1.678 | |
| NO(g) + 5H+ + 5e- → NH×H2O | +0.727 | |
| NO(g) + 6H+ + 5e- → NH4+ + H2O | +0.836 | |
| N2O(g) + 2H+ + 2e- → N2(g) + H2O | +1.766 | |
| N2O(g) + H2O + 8H+ + 8e- → 2NH×H2O | +0.510 | |
| N2O(g) + 10H+ + 8e- → 2NH4+ + H2O | +0.647 | |
| N3- + 7H2O + 6e- → N2H4 + NH3(g) + 7OH- | - 0.62 |
Citing this page:
Generalic, Eni. "Nitrogen." EniG. Periodic Table of the Elements. KTF-Split, 18 Jan. 2024. Web. {Date of access}. <https://www.periodni.com/n.html>.
