Nitrogen is used in industry, in the form of a pure gas. The pure gas is generated by what is known as an N2 generator (nitrogen generator). The gas is drawn from the atmosphere, i. E. The air that you breathe. This sounds strange to the unenlightened but it is in fact the most abundant source of nitrogen to industry.
Nitrogen itself is not an easy element to work with because of its gaseous nature. It only liquefies at a very low temperature, about minus 180 degrees Celsius, or -300 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it difficult to contain or purify, since as a gas it must be captured and isolated from other gases, and as a liquid it does not remain that cold for very long.
The storage of a gas at that temperature is also not easy. Trying to maintain such a low temperature obviously requires specialized equipment, since the natural environment does not reach that level of coldness and there is nowhere on earth that is naturally available. The other method is to maintain a very high pressure, which causes gases to stay in a liquid state, such as propane fuel gas in a cooking canister.
What the lay person might not be aware of is that nitrogen gas is part of their life on a daily basis. It is 80% of the atmosphere and they inhale it with every breath that they take. This does not mean, however, that it is not responsive to other chemicals. It reacts easily with these to form various compounds that should be familiar to those in industry or agriculture, and which those who use the generating equipment should have some knowledge of.
One of these compounds is ammonia. This is a traditional ingredient in cleaning products, and it is formed where nitrogen reacts with hydrogen. Ammonia is not so easy to work with either, because it is potentially dangerous. Where it comes into contact with an acid, it can cause a mild explosion. It has a characteristic smell and it should be handled with caution.
Nitric acid contains nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. Concentrated nitric acid is so corrosive that it cannot be stored in anything for more than a temporary period. It is possibly the most corrosive acid of all acids and it should only be handled by those who are qualified to do so. Nitrates are a group of nitrogenous compounds that occur in agricultural fertilizers. The nitrogen in the atmosphere is trapped into the soil by bacteria which are resident in the roots of some plants, for example lupins. Nitrates have three oxygen atoms, and so should not be confused with nitrites, which have only two.
Turning to medicine, silver nitrate has a trademark shiny metallic color and is a liquid at room temperature. But people should be aware that is corrosive and it burns human flesh. It is put onto areas where there is unnatural or unwanted growth on the outside of the body, such as excessive scarification.
These compounds are some examples of what nitrogen forms when it reacts with other chemicals. Users of nitrogen equipment should be aware of these related compounds and should be aware of what might possibly form in the equipment. This is important in preventing damage and maintaining a pure output.
Nitrogen itself is not an easy element to work with because of its gaseous nature. It only liquefies at a very low temperature, about minus 180 degrees Celsius, or -300 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it difficult to contain or purify, since as a gas it must be captured and isolated from other gases, and as a liquid it does not remain that cold for very long.
The storage of a gas at that temperature is also not easy. Trying to maintain such a low temperature obviously requires specialized equipment, since the natural environment does not reach that level of coldness and there is nowhere on earth that is naturally available. The other method is to maintain a very high pressure, which causes gases to stay in a liquid state, such as propane fuel gas in a cooking canister.
What the lay person might not be aware of is that nitrogen gas is part of their life on a daily basis. It is 80% of the atmosphere and they inhale it with every breath that they take. This does not mean, however, that it is not responsive to other chemicals. It reacts easily with these to form various compounds that should be familiar to those in industry or agriculture, and which those who use the generating equipment should have some knowledge of.
One of these compounds is ammonia. This is a traditional ingredient in cleaning products, and it is formed where nitrogen reacts with hydrogen. Ammonia is not so easy to work with either, because it is potentially dangerous. Where it comes into contact with an acid, it can cause a mild explosion. It has a characteristic smell and it should be handled with caution.
Nitric acid contains nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. Concentrated nitric acid is so corrosive that it cannot be stored in anything for more than a temporary period. It is possibly the most corrosive acid of all acids and it should only be handled by those who are qualified to do so. Nitrates are a group of nitrogenous compounds that occur in agricultural fertilizers. The nitrogen in the atmosphere is trapped into the soil by bacteria which are resident in the roots of some plants, for example lupins. Nitrates have three oxygen atoms, and so should not be confused with nitrites, which have only two.
Turning to medicine, silver nitrate has a trademark shiny metallic color and is a liquid at room temperature. But people should be aware that is corrosive and it burns human flesh. It is put onto areas where there is unnatural or unwanted growth on the outside of the body, such as excessive scarification.
These compounds are some examples of what nitrogen forms when it reacts with other chemicals. Users of nitrogen equipment should be aware of these related compounds and should be aware of what might possibly form in the equipment. This is important in preventing damage and maintaining a pure output.
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