Nitrogen is a nonmetallic element that is abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for life. It forms strong bonds with other elements and is stable, making it useful as a buffer gas. Nitrogen is the seventh most abundant element in the universe and is used in packaging and as an anesthetic. However, pure nitrogen gas can be dangerous to human health, causing asphyxiation and decompression sickness.
Nitrogen is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless nonmetallic chemical element that appears in great abundance in the Earth’s atmosphere. It also appears in a number of other compounds and is a vital component of life on Earth for many organisms. In addition to inhaling nitrogen with each breath, most organisms also consume it in food on a daily basis. There are many different forms commercially available, ranging from liquid nitrogen supercooling to nitrous oxide, a type of anesthetic.
The gas is the lightest of the nitrogen group of chemical elements, with the atomic number seven. It is identified on the periodic table of elements by the symbol N. Other elements in the group include bismuth, antimony and arsenic. Nitrogen forms strong bonds with other elements because its outermost electron shell lacks three electrons. These bonds make it very stable, which is why it is sometimes used as a buffer gas.
About 4/5 of the Earth’s atmosphere is made up of nitrogen and the element is the seventh most abundant in the universe. While most animals cannot use nitrogen in a pure form, they find it necessary for life, in the form of compounds such as amino acids and nucleic acids. Plants also rely on this element for nutrition, some plants are well known as nitrogen fixers which means they trap it efficiently for use by other organisms.
The element was first isolated in 1772, although researchers were aware of its existence prior to this time. Scientists certainly knew that air without oxygen was unbreathable and nonflammable, and they were aware of nitric acid, a compound that contains nitrogen, long before 1772. Modern uses of nitrogen include its use as an inert gas in packaging where oxygen is unwanted or dangerous, as is the case with many foods and explosives.
Pure nitrogen gas has several risks to human health. In the first sense, it can act as an asphyxiant by displacing available oxygen in the air. This risk is a big problem with liquid nitrogen, which quickly reverts to gaseous form at room temperature. When working with liquid, proper ventilation is very important. Additionally, the gas causes a condition called decompression sickness, which is common in scuba divers. Also known as “the bends,” decompression sickness is characterized by bubbles of nitrogen and other gases in the blood formed by sudden depressurization.
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