What is nitrogen?

Nitrogen in the periodic table

Nitrogen is an essential element of group 15 of the periodic table with the symbol N and atomic number 7. It is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas at room temperature and pressure that lies with the p-block element in the periodic table.

By volume, nitrogen makes up 78% of the air and is obtained by the distillation of liquid air. It is found in the molecules of all living things and hence it is also present in coal and other fossil fuels.

Properties

The 7 electrons of colorless, orderless nitrogen have distributed to give the electronic configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p3. Therefore, it has five valence electrons to show an oxidation state of 3 or 5. It forms negatively charged anions that covalently bond with other nonmetals.

• Relative atomic mass: 14.007
• State at 20°C: Gas
• Melting point: −210.0 °C, 63.2 K
• Boiling point: −195.795 °C, 77.355 K
• Density (g/cm3): 0.001145
• CAS number: 7727–37–9
• Chem Spider ID: 20473555

The properties of nitrogen may be compared to its horizontal neighbors' carbon and oxygen as well as its vertical neighbors' phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and…