Nitrogen, chemical formula n? A colorless and odorless gas. The chemical properties of nitrogen are very inactive, and it can react with hydrogen to produce ammonia under the conditions of high temperature, high pressure and catalyst. In the case of discharge, it can combine with oxygen to produce nitric oxide; Even active metals such as calcium, magnesium, strontium and barium can react with them only by heating.

This high chemical stability of nitrogen is related to its molecular structure. Two N atoms combine through triple bonds to form nitrogen molecules, including 1 σ bond and 2 π bond, because π bond is attacked first in chemical reaction, and N? The energy level of π bond in molecule is lower than σ bond, so π bond is difficult to open, which makes N? It is difficult to participate in chemical reactions.

Discover history

Swedish chemist carl scheele and Scottish botanist Daniel Rutherford discovered nitrogen in 1772 respectively. Pastors cavendish and lavoisier also independently obtained nitrogen at about the same time.

Lavoisier first realized that nitrogen is an element, and he named it "azo", which means "inanimate". Cha Portal named this element nitrogen in 1790. The name comes from the Greek word "nitrate" (nitrate containing nitrogen).