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N Nitrogen
Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements

7
N
Nitrogen
Element 7 of Periodic table is Nitrogen with atomic number 7, atomic weight 14.0067. Nitrogen, symbol N, has a Simple Hexagonal structure and Colorless color. Nitrogen is a Other Nonmetal element. It is part of group 15 (nitrogen family). Know everything about Nitrogen Facts, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Electronic configuration, Atomic and Crystal Structure.
7 N - Nitrogen | SchoolMyKids

Nitrogen is a chemical element with symbol N and atomic number 7. It is the lightest pnictogen and at room temperature, it is a transparent, odorless diatomic gas. Nitrogen is a common element in the universe, estimated at about seventh in total abundance in the Milky Way and the Solar System.

It belongs to group 15 of the periodic table having trivial name pentels, pnictogens*. You can also download Printable Periodic Table of Elements Flashcards for Nitrogen in a PDF format.

Nitrogen Facts

Read key information and facts about element Nitrogen

NameNitrogen
Atomic Number7
Atomic SymbolN
Atomic Weight14.0067
PhaseGas(Diatomic Gas)
ColorColorless
Appearancecolorless gas, liquid or solid
ClassificationOther Nonmetal
Natural OccurancePrimordial
Group in Periodic Table15
Group Namenitrogen family
Period in Periodic Tableperiod 2
Block in Periodic Tablep-block
Electronic Configuration[He] 2s2 2p3
Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell)2, 5
Melting Point63.05 K
Boiling Point77.36 K
CAS NumberCAS7727-37-9
Neighborhood Elements
123456789101112131415161718
1
1
H
Hydrogen
1.008

Atomic #

Electronic Shell #

Symbol
Name
Atomic Weight
HGas
HgLiquid
CSolid
Metals
Metalloids
NonMetals
Alkali metals
Alkali earth metals
Lanthanoids
Transition metals
Post-transition metals
Other nonmetals
Halogens
Nobel gas
Actinoids
2
He
Helium
4.003
2
3
Li
Lithium
6.941
4
Be
Beryllium
9.012
5
B
Boron
10.811
6
C
Carbon
12.011
7
N
Nitrogen
14.007
8
O
Oxygen
15.999
9
F
Fluorine
18.998
10
Ne
Neon
20.180
3
11
Na
Sodium
22.990
12
Mg
Magnesium
24.305
13
Al
Aluminium
26.982
14
Si
Silicon
28.085
15
P
Phosphorus
30.974
16
S
Sulfur
32.065
17
Cl
Chlorine
35.453
18
Ar
Argon
39.948
4
19
K
Potassium
39.098
20
Ca
Calcium
40.078
21
Sc
Scandium
44.956
22
Ti
Titanium
47.867
23
V
Vanadium
50.941
24
Cr
Chromium
51.996
25
Mn
Manganese
54.938
26
Fe
Iron
55.845
27
Co
Cobalt
58.933
28
Ni
Nickel
58.693
29
Cu
Copper
63.546
30
Zn
Zinc
65.409
31
Ga
Gallium
69.723
32
Ge
Germanium
72.640
33
As
Arsenic
74.922
34
Se
Selenium
78.960
35
Br
Bromine
79.904
36
Kr
Krypton
83.798
5
37
Rb
Rubidium
85.468
38
Sr
Strontium
87.620
39
Y
Yttrium
88.906
40
Zr
Zirconium
91.224
41
Nb
Niobium
92.906
42
Mo
Molybdenum
95.940
43
Tc
Technetium
98
44
Ru
Ruthenium
101.070
45
Rh
Rhodium
102.906
46
Pd
Palladium
106.420
47
Ag
Silver
107.868
48
Cd
Cadmium
112.411
49
In
Indium
114.818
50
Sn
Tin
118.710
51
Sb
Antimony
121.760
52
Te
Tellurium
127.600
53
I
Iodine
126.904
54
Xe
Xenon
131.293
6
55
Cs
Cesium
132.905
56
Ba
Barium
137.327
57 - 71
La - Lu
Lanthanides
72
Hf
Hafnium
178.490
73
Ta
Tantalum
180.948
74
W
Tungsten
183.840
75
Re
Rhenium
186.207
76
Os
Osmium
190.230
77
Ir
Iridium
192.217
78
Pt
Platinum
195.078
79
Au
Gold
196.967
80
Hg
Mercury
200.590
81
Tl
Thallium
204.383
82
Pb
Lead
207.200
83
Bi
Bismuth
208.980
84
Po
Polonium
209
85
At
Astatine
210
86
Rn
Radon
222
7
87
Fr
Francium
223
88
Ra
Radium
226
89 - 103
Ac - Lr
Actinides
104
Rf
Rutherfordium
261
105
Db
Dubnium
262
106
Sg
Seaborgium
266
107
Bh
Bohrium
264
108
Hs
Hassium
269
109
Mt
Meitnerium
268
110
Ds
Darmstadtium
281
111
Rg
Roentgenium
272
112
Cn
Copernicium
285
113
Nh
Nihonium
284
114
Fl
Flerovium
289
115
Mc
Moscovium
288
116
Lv
Livermorium
292
117
Ts
Tennessine
294
118
Og
Oganesson
294
Lanthanides
57
La
Lanthanum
138.905
58
Ce
Cerium
140.116
59
Pr
Praseodymium
140.908
60
Nd
Neodymium
144.240
61
Pm
Promethium
145
62
Sm
Samarium
150.360
63
Eu
Europium
151.964
64
Gd
Gadolinium
157.250
65
Tb
Terbium
158.925
66
Dy
Dysprosium
162.500
67
Ho
Holmium
164.930
68
Er
Erbium
167.259
69
Tm
Thulium
168.934
70
Yb
Ytterbium
173.040
71
Lu
Lutetium
174.967
Actinides
89
Ac
Actinium
227
90
Th
Thorium
232.038
91
Pa
Protactinium
231.036
92
U
Uranium
238.029
93
Np
Neptunium
237
94
Pu
Plutonium
244
95
Am
Americium
243
96
Cm
Curium
247
97
Bk
Berkelium
247
98
Cf
Californium
251
99
Es
Einsteinium
252
100
Fm
Fermium
257
101
Md
Mendelevium
258
102
No
Nobelium
259
103
Lr
Lawrencium
262

How to Locate Nitrogen on Periodic Table

Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 7 to find Nitrogen on periodic table.

Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Nitrogen on periodic table look for cross section of group 15 and period 2 in the modern periodic table.

Nitrogen History

The element Nitrogen was discovered by D. Rutherford in year 1772 in United Kingdom. Nitrogen was first isolated by D. Rutherford in 1772. Nitrogen derived its name from the Greek word nitron and '-gen' meaning 'niter-forming'.

Discovered By D. Rutherford
Discovery Date 1772 in United Kingdom
First Isolation 1772
Isolated by D. Rutherford

He discovered Nitrogen while he was studying at theUniversity of Edinburgh. He showed that the air in which animals had breathed, even after removal of the exhaled carbon dioxide, was no longer able to burn a candle. Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Henry Cavendish, and Joseph Priestley also studied the element at about the same time, and Lavoisier named it in 1775-1776.

Nitrogen Uses

78 % of Earth's entire atmosphere is made up of nitrogen. The element is important to the chemical industry as it is a key nutrient in fertilizers and a key component in nitric acid, nylon, and explosive materials. Hydrogen is also reacted with nitrogen to create ammonia.

Nitrogen Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us

The table below shows the abundance of Nitrogen in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.

 ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %)ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
Abundance in Universe100000090000
Abundance in Sun100000090000
Abundance in Meteorites14000001400000
Abundance in Earth's Crust2000029000
Abundance in Oceans500220
Abundance in Humans2600000012000000

Crystal Structure of Nitrogen

The solid state structure of Nitrogen is Simple Hexagonal.

The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.

Unit Cell Parameters

The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)

abc
386.1 pm386.1 pm626.5 pm

and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).

alphabetagamma
π/2 π/2 2 π/3

The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.

The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.

Space Group NameP63/mmc
Space Group Number194
Crystal StructureSimple Hexagonal
Number of atoms per unit cell
7 N Nitrogen - Crystal Structure | SchoolMyKids

The number of atoms per unit cell in a simple cubic, face-centered cubic and body-centred cubic are 1,4,2 respectively.

Nitrogen Atomic and Orbital Properties

Nitrogen atoms have 7 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 5] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 4S3/2.

Atomic Number7
Number of Electrons (with no charge)7
Number of Protons7
Mass Number14
Number of Neutrons7
Shell structure (Electrons per energy level)2, 5
Electron Configuration[He] 2s2 2p3
Valence Electrons2s2 2p3
Valence (Valency)3
Main Oxidation States-3, 3, 5
Oxidation States-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers)4S3/2

Bohr Atomic Model of Nitrogen - Electrons per energy level

7 N Nitrogen Electron Shell Structure | SchoolMyKids
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Ground State Electronic Configuration of Nitrogen - neutral Nitrogen atom

Abbreviated electronic configuration of Nitrogen

The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Nitrogen atom is [He] 2s2 2p3. The portion of Nitrogen configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [He]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 2s2 2p3, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.

Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Nitrogen

Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Nitrogen atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration

1s2 2s2 2p3

Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.

  • As per the Aufbau principle the electrons will occupy the orbitals having lower energies before occupying higher energy orbitals. According to this principle, electrons are filled in the following order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…
  • The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons, each having opposite spins, can fit in an orbital.
  • Hund's rule states that every orbital in a given subshell is singly occupied by electrons before a second electron is filled in an orbital.
  • Electron configuration of Nitrogen
    Atomic Structure of Nitrogen

    Nitrogen atomic radius is 56 pm, while it's covalent radius is 75 pm.

    Atomic Radius Calculated

    56 pm(0.56 Å)

    Atomic Radius Empirical

    65 pm (0.65 Å)

    Atomic Volume22.4131 cm3/mol
    Covalent Radius75 pm (0.75 Å)
    Van der Waals Radius155 pm
    Neutron Cross Section1.91
    Neutron Mass Absorption 0.0048

    Spectral Lines of Nitrogen - Atomic Spectrum of Nitrogen

    A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from an excess or deficiency of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies. Spectral lines are often used to identify atoms and molecules.

    Spectral lines are the result of interaction between a quantum system and a single photon. A spectral line may be observed either as an emission line or an absorption line.

    Spectral lines are highly atom-specific, and can be used to identify the chemical composition of any medium. Several elements, including helium, thallium, and caesium, were discovered by spectroscopic means. They are widely used to determine the physical conditions of stars and other celestial bodies that cannot be analyzed by other means.

    Emission spectrum of Nitrogen

    Emission Spectrum of Nitrogen | SchoolMyKids

    Absorption spectrum of Nitrogen

    Absorption Spectrum of Nitrogen | SchoolMyKids

    Nitrogen Chemical Properties: Nitrogen Ionization Energies and electron affinity

    The electron affinity of Nitrogen is 7 kJ/mol.

    Valence3
    Electronegativity3.04
    ElectronAffinity7 kJ/mol

    Ionization Energy of Nitrogen

    Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.in chemistry, this energy is expresed in kilocalories per mole (kcal/mol) or kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

    Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Nitrogen

    Ionization energy numberEnthalpy - kJ/mol
    1st1402.3
    2nd2856
    3rd4578.1
    4th7475
    5th9444.9
    6th53266.6
    7th64360

    Nitrogen Physical Properties

    Refer to below table for Nitrogen Physical Properties

    Density0.001251 g/cm3
    Molar Volume22.4131 cm3/mol

    Elastic Properties

    Young Modulus-
    Shear Modulus-
    Bulk Modulus -
    Poisson Ratio-

    Hardness of Nitrogen - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element

    Mohs Hardness-
    Vickers Hardness-
    Brinell Hardness-

    Nitrogen Electrical Properties

    Electrical resistivity measures element's electrical resistance or how strongly it resists electric current.The SI unit of electrical resistivity is the ohm-metre (Ω⋅m). While Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity. It represents a element's ability to conduct electric current. The SI unit of electrical conductivity is siemens per metre (S/m).

    Nitrogen is a -. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties of Nitrogen

    Electrical conductors -
    Electrical Conductivity-
    Resistivity-
    Superconducting Point-

    Nitrogen Heat and Conduction Properties

    Thermal Conductivity0.02583 W/(m K)
    Thermal Expansion-

    Nitrogen Magnetic Properties

    Magnetic TypeDiamagnetic
    Curie Point-
    Mass Magnetic Susceptibility-5.4e-9 m3/kg
    Molar Magnetic Susceptibility-1.5e-10 m3/mol
    Volume Magnetic Susceptibility-6.8e-9

    Optical Properties of Nitrogen

    Refractive Index1.000298

    Acoustic Properties of Nitrogen

    Speed of Sound333.6 m/s

    Nitrogen Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics

    Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Nitrogen

    Melting Point63.05 K(-210.10 °C, -346.180 °F)
    Boiling Point77.36 K(-195.79 °C, -320.422 °F)
    Critical Temperature126.21 K
    Superconducting Point-

    Enthalpies of Nitrogen

    Heat of Fusion0.36 kJ/mol
    Heat of Vaporization2.79 kJ/mol
    Heat of Combustion-

    Nitrogen Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Nitrogen

    Nitrogen has 16 isotopes, with between 10 and 25 nucleons. Nitrogen has 2 stable naturally occuring isotopes.

    Isotopes of Nitrogen - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 14N, 15N.

    IsotopeZNIsotope Mass% AbundanceT halfDecay Mode
    10N7310Synthetic
    11N7411Synthetic
    12N7512Synthetic
    13N7613Synthetic
    14N771499.632%Stable
    15N78150.368%StableN/A
    16N7916Synthetic
    17N71017Synthetic
    18N71118Synthetic
    19N71219Synthetic
    20N71320Synthetic
    21N71421Synthetic
    22N71522Synthetic
    23N71623Synthetic
    24N71724Synthetic
    25N71825Synthetic

    Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines

    The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) identifies hazard class of all dangerous elements/goods/commodities either by its class (or division) number or name. The DOT has divided these materials into nine different categories, known as Hazard Classes.

    Non-flammable, non-toxic* gases

    NFPA 704 is a Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA is a standard maintained by the US based National Fire Protection Association.

    The health (blue), flammability (red), and reactivity (yellow) rating all use a numbering scale ranging from 0 to 4. A value of zero means that the element poses no hazard; a rating of four indicates extreme danger.

    NFPA Fire Rating0Will not burn
    NFPA Health Rating3 Flash Points below 37.8°C (100°F)
    NFPA Reactivity Rating0 Will not burn
    NFPA Hazards
    0
    0
    3
    Autoignition Point-
    Flashpoint-

    Database Search

    List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases

    DatabaseIdentifier number
    CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)CAS7727-37-9
    RTECS NumberRTECSQW9700000
    CID Number CID947
    Gmelin Number-
    NSC Number-

    FAQs

    What is the electronic configuration of Nitrogen?

    The electronic configuration of Nitrogen is 1s2 2s2 2p3.

    What is the abbreviated electronic configuration of Nitrogen?

    The abbreviated electronic configuration of Nitrogen is [He] 2s2 2p3. To form abbreviated notation of electronic configuration, the completely filled subshells are replaced by the noble gas of the preceding period in square brackets.

    What is the symbol of Nitrogen?

    Symbol of Nitrogen is N. Nitrogen is a chemical element with symbol N and atomic number 7.

    What is the position of Nitrogen in the Periodic Table?

    Nitrogen is a chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is the 7 element on the periodic table. It is located in group 15 and period 2 in the modern periodic table.

    What is the atomic number of Nitrogen?

    The atomic number of Nitrogen is 7.

    What is the color of Nitrogen?

    Nitrogen is Colorless.

    Who discovered Nitrogen?

    The element Nitrogen was discovered by D. Rutherford in year 1772 in United Kingdom. Nitrogen was first isolated by D. Rutherford in 1772.

    How many valence electrons does a Nitrogen atom have?

    Nitrogen has 3 valence electrons. Nitrogen has 7 electrons out of which 3 valence electrons are present in the 2s2 2p3 outer orbitals of atom.

    What is the melting Point of Nitrogen?

    Melting Point of Nitrogen is 63.05 K.

    What is the boiling Point of Nitrogen?

    Boiling Point of Nitrogen is 77.36 K.

    What is the melting Point of Nitrogen in Kelvin?

    Melting Point of Nitrogen in Kelvin is 63.05 K.

    What is the boiling Point of Nitrogen in Kelvin?

    Boiling Point of Nitrogen in Kelvin is 77.36 K.

    What is the melting Point of Nitrogen in Celsius?

    Melting Point of Nitrogen in Celsius is -210.10 °C.

    What is the boiling Point of Nitrogen in Celsius?

    Boiling Point of Nitrogen in Celsius is -195.79 °C.

    What is the melting Point of Nitrogen in Fahrenheit?

    Melting Point of Nitrogen in Fahrenheit is -346.18 °F.

    What is the boiling Point of Nitrogen in Fahrenheit?

    Boiling Point of Nitrogen in Fahrenheit is -320.42 °F.

    What is the electronic configuration of Nitrogen 7?

    The electronic configuration of Nitrogen will be 1s2 2s2 2p3.

    How do you write the electron configuration for Nitrogen?

    The electronic configuration of Nitrogen will be 1s2 2s2 2p3.