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Nitrogen Gas Properties

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Nitrogen was discovered by Daniel Rutherford in 1772. The word nitrogen originated from the Latin word nitrum and the Greek word nitro, meaning native soda.

Nitrogen (N2) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that makes up 78.09% (by volume) of the air we breathe. Naturally occurring nitrogen contains two isotopes, 14N and 15N, with a relative abundance of 99.62% and 0.38%, respectively.

Atomic number : 7
Atomic mass : 14.0067 g.mol -1
Vanderwaals radius : 0.092 nm
Ionic radius : 0.171 nm (-3) ; 0.011 (+5) ; 0.016 (+3)
Isotopes : 4
Electronic shell : [ He ] 2s22p3

Nitrogen Physical Properties

It is a relatively inert gas.
It is colorless, odorless and tasteless.
Liquid nitrogen is also colorless and odorless, and is similar in appearance to water.
There are two allotropic forms of solid nitrogen, a and b, with a transition between the two forms at -237° C.
Density : 1.25*10-3 g.cm-3 at 20°C
Melting point : -210 °C
Boiling point : -195.8 °C

Nitrogen Chemical Properties

Nitrogen form compounds through biological activity, at high temperature, or at moderate temperature with the aid of catalysts.
It forms nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide with oxygen, ammonia with hydrogen, and nitrogen sulfide with sulfur.
At high temperatures it will combine with certain active metals, such as lithium, magnesium and titanium to form nitrides.
It is non flammable and will not support combustion.
Energy of first ionisation : 1402 kJ.mol -1
Energy of second ionisation : 2856 kJ.mol -1
Energy of third ionisation : 4577 kJ.mol -1
Electronegativity according to Pauling : 3.0

Tags:- Nitrogen Chemical Properties, Nitrogen Gas Properties, Nitrogen Physical Properties

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