Nitrogen: Cool Element very Important for Life

 Nitrogen is a very useful and abundant element in the atmosphere. About 78% of the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen elements. Nitrogen is a quite chill and cool element.

Joke about Nitrogen:

A scientist took a selfie while he was drinking liquid nitrogen He was quoted as saying "It was the coolest shot I ever took"

Properties of nitrogen :

Molecular weight: 14.01g/mol

Boiling point: -195.795 degrees c

Melting point: -210 degrees c

Density: 1.251g/L

Appearance: Colourless gas(at room temperature and pressure), Colourless liquid and solid.

Isotopes of Nitrogen:

Nitrogen has two stable isotopes N-14 and N-15. N-14 is the most abundant element in the atmosphere at 99.6% and N-15 is about 0.4% of this atmosphere.

Each isotope has its own use for scientific and engineering purposes.

Nitrogen Cycle and Nitrogen Fixation:

First, all games start with atmospheric nitrogen which is composed of about 78% of the total atmosphere. But there is a problem plants and animals can't use nitrogen directly for the atmosphere. That is why we need a mechanism by which plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogenous compounds.

So, in this, the main hero root nodules and Rhizobium play an important role. Root nodule is the structure present on the root which forms symbols with nitrogen-fixiting bacteria.

The main work of these nitrogen-fixation bacteria is to convert nitrogen into nitrogenous compounds( like ammonia, nitrates, etc.,)

So, Rhizobium converts nitrogen to ammonia and other bacteria also play an important role in the nitrogen cycle they convert ammonia to nitrates and nitrites.

Nitrogen also converts to nitrogenous compounds by the natural process of lighting.

Planets used nitrates to make proteins. Animals take nitrogen from plants. The waste materials of planets and animals convert nitrogenous waste. Over time wastes decay and ammonia is released. This ammonia again converts to nitrates by nitrifying bacteria.

Lastly denitrifying bacteria play the role which converting nitrates back into the atmospheric atmosphere.

Liquid Nitrogen :

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted into the liquid phase by the process of  "liquid fraction of gas" from which the liquid phase of nitrogen is easily prepared. 

Liquid nitrogen is used in many applications like:

1. Use in the prevention of food products.

2. Use as coolant in superconductors

3. Use in cryotherapy

4. Use to store biological samples.

Nitrogen uses in industries:

Nitrogen is used in many industries for example food industry is used to store food for longer periods of time.

It is used in the Haber process by which nitrogen is converted into ammonia at an industrial scale. This ammonia is used to form many chemicals, acids, and fertilizers. 

Urea which is used mostly as a fertilizer also contains nitrogen.

Nitrogen is also used as rocket fuel.

Nitrogen Role in Biology:

Nitrogen is a major element in chlorophyll which is necessary for photosynthesis. Also, it is the main component of the amino acid building block of proteins. Nitrogen deficiency also causes many problems and diseases in plants.

Nitrogen in organic chemistry:

Nitrogen contains functional groups also very important in organic chemistry. The most important are amines, amides, nitriles, imines, and azide and azo functional groups.

Conclusion:

Nitrogen is an element that is very important in our daily lives as well as in our technological growth. I hope that from this article you get a better understanding of this element.

Thank you!

I hope you like this article. Please comment to give your feedback.