Question

Write the chemical properties of nitrogen and its uses.

Answer 1

Chemical properties of nitrogen

• Nitrogen neither burns nor supports combustion. However, metals such as calcium and magnesium burn in an atmosphere of nitrogen to form their corresponding nitrides.

$$\begin{gathered} 3\mathrm{Ca}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{Ca}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right) \\ \mathrm{Calcium}\mathrm{Nitrogen}\mathrm{Calcium}\mathrm{nitride} \\ 3\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\to {\mathrm{Mg}}_3{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right) \\ \mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{Nitrogen}\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{nitride} \end{gathered}$$

• Nitrogen is neutral to moist litmus.
• Nitrogen is itself nonreactive and does not react with most elements. The presence of nitrogen ensures that processes like the burning of fuels and the breakdown of food during respiration take place at a moderate rate.

Uses of nitrogen

• Because of its inert nature, nitrogen dilutes the effect of oxygen present in the air and helps to control the rate of combustion
• Nitrogen is used to manufacture ammonia by direct combination with hydrogen. Ammonia is further used to manufacture nitrogenous fertilizers such as urea, ammonium, and sulfate.
• Certain nitrogenous compounds such as trinitrotoluene, nitroglycerine, and nitrocellulose are used as explosives.
• Liquid nitrogen is used as a refrigerant in hospitals for storing and preserving blood, tissues, and the cornea of the eye.
• Nitrogen because of its inert nature is extensively used in food packaging to keep the food fresh. It is also used for filling spaces in oil tanks to prevent fire. It delays various forms of oxidation processes.
• Nitrogen provides the inert atmosphere required in the manufacturing of semiconductors, vitamin A and nylon.