Nitrogen (N) – Periodic Table [Element Information & More]

Nitrogen element (N) is in group 15 and period 2 of a periodic table. Nitrogen is in the p-block and it is classified as a Nonmetal on the periodic table.

There is a lot more information related to nitrogen which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.

So let’s dive right into it!

Table of contents

• Nitrogen element (Information Table)
• Nitrogen element in Periodic table
• Facts about Nitrogen
• Properties of Nitrogen
• Uses of Nitrogen

Nitrogen Element (Information Table)

The important data related to nitrogen element is given in the table below.

Appearance of nitrogen	Colorless gas
Atomic number of nitrogen	7
Symbol of nitrogen	N
Atomic mass of nitrogen	14.007 u
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in nitrogen	Protons: 7, Neutrons: 7, Electrons: 7
State of nitrogen (at STP)	Gas
Group number of nitrogen in periodic table	15
Period number of nitrogen in periodic table	2
Block of nitrogen in periodic table	p-block
Category of nitrogen	Nonmetals
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in nitrogen	2, 5
Electron configuration of nitrogen	[He] 2s2 2p3
Orbital diagram of nitrogen
Valence electrons in nitrogen	5
Electronegativity of nitrogen (on pauling scale)	3.04
Atomic radius of nitrogen (van der Waals radius)	155 picometers
Density of nitrogen	0.808 g/cm3 (when liquid at barometric pressure)
1st ionization energy of nitrogen	14.534 eV
Main isotope of nitrogen	14N
Melting point of nitrogen (N2)	63.23 K or -209.86 °C or -345.75 °F
Boiling point of nitrogen (N2)	77.35 K or -195.79 °C or -320.43 °F
Crystal structure of nitrogen	Hexagonal
Discovery of nitrogen	By Daniel Rutherford in 1772

Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).

Nitrogen element in Periodic table

The Nitrogen element (N) has the atomic number 7 and is located in group 15 and period 2. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and it is classified as a pnictogen element.

Facts about nitrogen

Here are a few interesting facts about nitrogen element.

1. Rightnow, you are breathing the air that contains 78% nitrogen.
2. Nitrogen is the 7th most abundant element present in the entire universe.
3. The human body, plant body as well as animals possess nitrogen.
4. In our body, the proteins, DNA & RNA contain nitrogen elements.
5. The atmosphere of Titan (which is the largest moon of  Saturn), has around 98% nitrogen.
6. Liquid nitrogen is very cold and it can even burn your skin.
7. The earth’s atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen in it.

Properties of nitrogen

Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of nitrogen.

Physical properties of nitrogen

• Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas.
• The liquid nitrogen looks like water.
• The melting point and boiling point of nitrogen are 63.23 K and 77.35 K respectively.

Chemical properties of nitrogen

• The nitrogen is a reactive gas and it always exists as a molecular nitrogen (N₂).
• The N₂ molecule has a triple bond between them, and these bonds have a very short bond length.
• The nitrogen is a reactive nonmetals and reacts with almost all the elements of the periodic table, except some noble gases.
• The nitrogen forms nitrides (which includes hydrides, oxides, fluorides, etc).
• The nitrides formed with alkali metals and alkaline earth metals are more ionic in nature as compared to other nitrides.
• The nitrogen reacts with hydrogen to form ammonia (NH₃), which is a colorless alkaline gas.
• N₂O (also known as laughing gas) is produced by the thermal decomposition of molten ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) at 523 K temperature.

Uses of nitrogen

Here are some uses of the nitrogen element.

• Nitrogen is used in production of ammonia (NH₃), which has wide industrial applications.
• Nitrogen is used in nitriding for case-hardening of steel.
• Nitrogen is also used in some aircraft fuel systems to reduce the fire hazard.
• Nitrogen is also used in filling tyres of vehicles, which reduces the running temperature of the tyre, as well as it also maintains the pressure.
• Liquid nitrogen is a cryogenic fluid which is used for cooling to low temperatures.

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