Question

4. Mention some uses of nitrogen.

Answer 1

Nitrogen is invaluable to the chemical industry to make many important chemicals:

• Nitrogen is converted to ammonia (NH₃) by a reaction with hydrogen. Ammonia is the starting material for making fertilizers (such as urea), nitric acid, nylon, dyes, explosives, and so on. Hence, large quantities of ammonia are produced.
• Nitrogen gas is used to provide an unreactive atmosphere in the food industry (for preservation) and in the electronics industry.
• Nitrogen is used in annealing metals. Annealing is the heat treatment of metals followed by slow cooling. This makes the metal softer, more ductile, and easier to work with. The process is carried out in an inert atmosphere of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.
• Biological role of nitrogen: Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients required for living things. It is a part of molecules such as proteins and DNA. However, all living things cannot absorb it directly from the air. Plants take in nitrogen from the soil as nitrates. Animals (including humans) get nitrogen by consuming plants and other living things. The amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere, soil, and water is balanced by the nitrogen cycle.