Compound reference
Nitrogen
N₂
- Geometry
- linear
- Bond angle
- 180°
The chemistry
Triple bond - short, strong, almost unbreakable. 78% of the atmosphere is this molecule sitting still.
Remember it as…
:N≡N: One lone pair on each end, three pairs in the middle. Hardest small-molecule bond to break.
Common mix-up
N₂ is unreactive NOT because nitrogen is "weak" but because the triple bond is so strong (945 kJ/mol). Plants need bacteria with specialized enzymes (nitrogenase) to crack it open - humans had to invent the Haber–Bosch process.
Where the name comes from
Coined from Greek nitron (a kind of soda/saltpeter) + genēs (forming) - early chemists found nitrogen-bearing salts before they isolated the gas.
Where you meet it
Atmospheric blanket that prevents air from being one giant fire; nitrogen fertilizers (made by cracking N₂ industrially) feed about half of humanity.
PubChem facts
- IUPAC name
- molecular nitrogen
- Molecular weight
- 28.014 g/mol
Also known as: dinitrogen, nitrogen gas
Handling note
Chemically inert and non-toxic; the real hazard is asphyxiation, since it can displace oxygen in a closed space.
BondingMolecular geometry
Chemical data from PubChem (NIH/NCBI)