Nitrogen is a chemical element
with the symbol N and has an atomic number of 7. Nitrogen is a very
important element for organisms and in industry. Nitrogen is a very
important part of amino acids and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). But who
discovered nitrogen? This article will answer just that question and
also look at four interesting facts about nitrogen.
Who Discovered Nitrogen
Nitrogen was discovered by David Rutherford in 1772. He called it noxious air or fixed air. By the late 18th century, most chemists knew of this fraction of air (nitrogen with some other gases) that did not combust. A few years after 1772, nitrogen was also studied by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Henry Cavendish, and Joseph Priestley. They referred to it as burnt air or phlogisticated air. Through various studies it was shown that animals suffocated in nitrogen. We now know that this is because animals breathe oxygen and will suffocate if there is no oxygen.
Nitrogen was discovered by David Rutherford in 1772. He called it noxious air or fixed air. By the late 18th century, most chemists knew of this fraction of air (nitrogen with some other gases) that did not combust. A few years after 1772, nitrogen was also studied by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Henry Cavendish, and Joseph Priestley. They referred to it as burnt air or phlogisticated air. Through various studies it was shown that animals suffocated in nitrogen. We now know that this is because animals breathe oxygen and will suffocate if there is no oxygen.
Compounds of nitrogen were known
in the Middle Ages. Nitric acid was called ‘strong water’ and a mixture
of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid was celebrated for its amazing
ability to dissolve gold. Potassium nitrate was also used hundreds of
years ago in gunpowder and more recently as fertilizer. So now you know
who discovered nitrogen. Now let’s look at four amazing facts about
nitrogen.
Four Facts about Nitrogen
Fact 1: Nitrogen is fairly unreactive at standard temperature and pressure. It is very unreactive due to the strong triple bond in a nitrogen molecule that is difficult to break down. Nitrogen does, however, form a variety of different compounds with transition metals.
Fact 1: Nitrogen is fairly unreactive at standard temperature and pressure. It is very unreactive due to the strong triple bond in a nitrogen molecule that is difficult to break down. Nitrogen does, however, form a variety of different compounds with transition metals.
Fact 2: Nitrogen gas is colorless, tasteless and odorless.
Fact 3: Nitrogen gas is the most abundant gas in the air. It constitutes 78% of the air.
Fact 4: Some bacteria ‘fix’ nitrogen, converting it to forms that are more useful to plants.
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