Molar mass of nitrogen

Nitrogen belongs to the 15th group (according to the old classification - to the main subgroup of the 5th group), the second period under the 7th atomic number in the periodic system of chemical elements and is designated by the symbol N. The molar mass of nitrogen is 14 kg / mol.

Nitrogen as a simple substance is in normal conditions an inert diatomic gas, which has no color, no taste, no smell. Part of this gas is the Earth's atmosphere. The molecular weight of nitrogen is 28. The word "nitrogen" in Greek means "lifeless."

In nature, gas molecules consist of stable isotopes, in which the molar mass of nitrogen is 14 kg / mol (99.635%) and 15 kg / mol (0.365%). Outside the earth's atmosphere, it is found in the composition of gas nebulae, in the atmosphere of the Sun, interstellar space, on the planets Neptune, Uranus and so on. It is the fourth in the solar system to spread after such elements as hydrogen, helium, oxygen. Artificially produced radioactive isotopes, in which the molar mass of nitrogen - from 10kg / mol and up to 13kg / mol, as well as from 16kg / mol and up to 25kg / mol. They all relate to short-lived elements. The most stable isotope, in which the molar mass of nitrogen is 13 kg / mol, has a ten-minute half-life.

The biological role of this gas is enormous, because it is one of the main elements from which nucleic acids, proteins, nucleoproteins, chlorophyll, hemoglobin and other important substances are added. Both stable isotopes and a molar mass of nitrogen of 14 kg / mol and 15 kg / mol are involved in nitrogen exchange. For this reason, a huge amount of bound nitrogen contains living organisms, a "dead" organics and dispersed matter of the oceans and seas. And further, as a result of decomposition and decay of organic matter containing nitrogen, deposits of nitrogen-containing organic matter such as, for example, saltpetre are formed.

Nitrogen from the atmosphere can bind and convert into digestible forms, for example, ammonium compounds, about 160 species of microorganisms, mainly consisting in symbiotic communication with higher plants, providing them with nitrogen fertilizers, and further along the food chain gets to herbivorous organisms and predators.

In the laboratory, nitrogen is produced by the ammonium nitrite decomposition reaction. As a result, a mixture of gas with ammonia, oxygen and nitrogen oxide (I) is obtained. Its purification is done by passing the resulting mixture first through a solution of sulfuric acid, then ferrous sulfate , and then over hot copper. Another way of obtaining it in the laboratory is to pass ammonia over copper oxide (II) at a temperature of about 700 degrees Celsius.

On an industrial scale, nitrogen is produced by passing air over the hot coke, but not a pure product is formed, but again a mixture, but with noble gases and carbon dioxide, the so-called "air" or "generator" gas. It is the raw material for chemical synthesis and fuel. Also, nitrogen can be extracted from the "generator" gas, carbon monoxide absorption is carried out for this purpose . The second way of obtaining nitrogen in industry is fractional distillation of liquid air.

There are also such methods as membrane and adsorptive gas separation. It is possible to obtain atomic nitrogen, it is much more active than molecular nitrogen, it is capable, for example, of reacting under usual conditions with phosphorus, sulfur, arsenic, metals. Nitrogen compounds are widely used in industry, of which fertilizers, explosives, medicines, dyes and so on are made. In the petrochemical industry, they blow pipelines, check their work under pressure. In the mining complex it is used to create an explosion-proof environment inside the mines, and spread out rock layers. In electronics, they are blown into assemblies in which the slightest oxidation by oxygen, which is contained in the air, is unacceptable.