Category: Nonmetal
Atomic Number: 7
Period: 2 | Group: 15
Block: p-block
78% of the air you are breathing right now, held together by one of the strongest bonds in chemistry.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Gas |
| Density | 0.00125040 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 63.15 K (-210.00 °C) |
| Boiling Point | 77.36 K (-195.79 °C) |
| Heat Capacity | N/A |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 14.0070 u |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 3.04 |
| Oxidation States | -3, -2, -1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5 |
| Electron Configuration | [He] 2s² 2p³ |
| Discovered By | Daniel Rutherford |
|---|---|
| Discovery Year | 1772 |
| Named After | Greek nitron + genes, "niter-forming" |
| ISOTOPE | Neutrons | Natural Abundance | Half-life | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N-13 | 6 | - | 9.965 min | ε/β⁺ |
| N-14 | 7 | 99.6205% | Stable | - |
| N-15 | 8 | 0.3795% | Stable | - |
Data: IAEA Nuclear Data Section, LiveChart of Nuclides, ground-state evaluations, retrieved October 10, 2026. Abundance is the share of atoms in the natural element; a dash means the isotope has no standard natural abundance.
Industrial Applications and Manufacturing
Haber-Bosch Process and Fertilizer Production
The largest industrial use of nitrogen is in the Haber-Bosch process , which converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia (NH₃). This important process, developed in the early 20th century, involves reacting nitrogen with hydrogen under high pressure (150-200 atm) and temperature (400-500°C) using an iron catalyst:
N₂ + 3H₂ → 2NH₃
This process produces over 150 million tons of ammonia annually, with approximately 80% used to manufacture nitrogen-based fertilizers including:
Ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) - High-nitrogen content fertilizer
Urea (CO(NH₂)₂) - World's most widely used nitrogen fertilizer
Ammonium sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) - Provides both nitrogen and sulfur
Ammonium phosphate - Combines nitrogen with phosphorus
Chemical Manufacturing and Synthesis
Nitrogen serves as a critical feedstock for producing numerous industrial chemicals:
Nitric acid (HNO₃) - Produced via the Ostwald process, used in explosives, fertilizers, and chemical synthesis
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) - Essential for producing adiponitrile, which becomes nylon
Melamine - Used in producing melamine-formaldehyde resins for laminates and adhesives
Acrylonitrile - Building block for synthetic fibers and plastics
Cryogenic and Cooling Applications
Liquid nitrogen at -196°C (-321°F) provides ultra-low temperature cooling for:
Food processing - Flash-freezing foods to preserve texture and nutrients
Medical applications - Cryosurgery, cryotherapy, and preserving biological samples
Electronics manufacturing - Cooling superconductors and testing electronic components
Laboratory research - Creating controlled low-temperature environments
Transportation - Shrink-fitting metal parts and maintaining vaccine cold chains
Metallurgy and Material Processing
Nitrogen creates inert atmospheres to prevent oxidation during:
Steel production - Preventing carbon loss and controlling steel properties
Stainless steel welding - Small nitrogen additions to argon shielding gas improve arc stability and penetration
Heat treatment - Controlling atmosphere during annealing and hardening
Powder metallurgy - Preventing oxidation during sintering processes
Electronics and Semiconductor Industry
High-purity nitrogen is essential for:
Wafer processing - Creating clean, oxygen-free environments
Chemical vapor deposition - Depositing thin films without contamination
Soldering operations - Preventing oxidation of electronic components
Storage and transport - Maintaining inert conditions for sensitive materials
Air separation, ammonia synthesis
| Earth's Crust | 0.0000190000 ppm |
|---|---|
| Universe | 0.0009600000 % |