TOPIC: NITROGEN

CONTENTS:
1. General properties of Nitrogen – group VA elements.
2. Laboratory and Industrial preparation of Nitrogen
3. Properties of Nitrogen.
SUB-TOPIC 1: GENERAL PROPERTIES OF NITROGEN – GROUP V ELEMENTS
Nitrogen and other group VA elements are non-metals and show two common
valences of 3 and 5. They are electron acceptors and both form several acidic
oxides. They also form similar hydrides and chloride e.g Nitrogen and phosphorus
form N2O3 and P4O6, N2O5 and P4O10, NH3, PH3, NCl3 and PCl3

Properties of VA elements
Property Nitrogen Phosphorous Arsenic Antimony Bismuth
N P As Sb Bi
Atomic number 7 15 33 51 83
Outer electron 2s22p6 3s23p3 3d104s2 4d104s25p3 4f15d106s26p3
configuration 4p3
Atomic mass 14.0067 30.9738 74.9216 121.75 208.980
Boiling point -196 280w 610sr 1380 1560
Melting point -210 44w 817pgr 630gr 271
2.34r 5.73gr 6.7gr 9.8

Density(gcm-3) 0.81 1.82w

W = white, gr = grey, p = 28 atmospheres, r = red, s = sublimes

SUB-TOPIC 2: LABORATORY AND INDUSTRIAL PREPARATION OF NITROGEN

(a) Laboratory preparation of nitrogen from air

Atmospheric air is passed through aqueous NaOH, in order to absorb carbon (iv)
oxide.
2NaOH(aq) + CO2(g) Na2CO3(aq) + H2O
It is then passed over red-hot copper metal in a combustion tube in order to remove
oxygen.
Cu(s) + O2(g) 2CuO(s)
The residual gas collected over water is Nitrogen contaminated with small quantity of
noble gases. Other methods of preparing nitrogen in the laboratory include:
Preparation from Ammonia gas.
CuO(s) + NH3(g) 3Cu(s) + H2O(g) + N2(g)
From ammoniumdioxonitrate (iii)
NaNO2(aq) + NH4cl(aq) NH4NO2(aq) + Nacl(aq)
(b) Industrial preparation of nitrogen
Nitrogen is produced commercially from fractional distillation of liquefied air.
PROCEDURE: Carbon (iv) oxide is removed from air. This air is liquefied by
subjecting it to succession compression and cooling processes.
Nitrogen is collected first after distillation before oxygen because it has a lower
boiling point than oxygen.
Nitrogen is stored in steel in steel cylinders and sold as liquid nitrogen or as the
compressed gas.
EVALUATION
1. Describe how nitrogen can be obtained from ammonia.
2. Name the reagents necessary for the laboratory preparation of nitrogen from air.
3. How is nitrogen obtained commercially?

SUB-TOPIC 3: PROPERTIES OF NITROGEN.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
(1) Pure nitrogen is colourless, odourless and tasteless
(2) It is insoluble in water
(3) It is lighter than air.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
1. Combustion: Nitrogen gas is generally unreactive at ordinary temperatures and
pressures. It does not burn and does not support burning. It extinguishes a
lighted splint.
2. Action on litmus paper: It has no action on moist litmus paper, neutral; to litmus.
3. Reaction with metals. Magnesium ribbon burns in air to produce a mixture of
magnesium oxide and magnesium nitricide, a white solid.
2Mg(s) + O2(g) MgO(s)
3Mg(s) + N2(g) Mg3N2(s)
Magnesium nitrate decomposes on addition of water to liberate ammonia gas
Mg3N2(s) + 6H2O(l) 3Mg(OH)2(aq) + 2NH3(g)
4. Reaction with non-metals: (a) under conditions of high temperatures and
pressures, and in the presence of finely divided iron as catalyst, nitrogen
combines with hydrogen, to produce ammonia. The reaction in reversible.
N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
5. Nitrogen combines with oxygen at high temperature and pressure to produce
Nitrogen (ii) oxide, an unstable colourless and odourless gas. The reaction is
reversible.
N2(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g)

EVALUATION
1. When powdered magnesium is heated to redness in a stream of Nitrogen,
magnesium nitride is formed.
(a) Give the physical state, colour and formula of magnesium nitride.
(b) Write an equation for the reaction.
 GENERAL EVALUATION
OBJECTIVE TEST:
1. Which of the following contains the highest number of molecules at S.T.P?
(Avogadro’s constant)= 6.02 × 1023 mol-1
(a) 1.0g of H2 (H2=2) (b) 4.0g of N2(N2 = 28) (c) 8.0g of O2 (O2=32)
(d) 16.0g of O3 (O3= 48)
2. The laboratory preparation of nitrogen from air requires the removal of
carbon(iv)oxide (b) water vapour (c) oxygen and carbon (iv)oxide (d) carbon (iv)
oxide, oxygen and water vapour
3. Nitrogen combines reversibly with hydrogen under (a) catalyst (b) high voltage
electric spark (c) the presence of traces of NO.s
4. Nitrogen combines directly with metals except. (a) Cu (b) Mg (c) Ca (d) Al
5. Oxidation of Nitrogen in Mg3N2 is (a) -3 (b) +3 (c) -2 (d) +2
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Outline the laboratory preparation of Nitrogen from atmospheric air.
2. (a) State two physical properties of Nitrogen (b) Name the process used in the
commercial production of nitrogen.
3. Describe the laboratory preparation of nitrogen with the following (i) magnesium
(ii) oxygen
4. (i) What is the percentage by volume of nitrogen in air? (ii) Calculate the
amount, in mole of magnesium nitride that can be obtained from 3.0g of
magnesium (Mg =24)
5. (a) State how nitrogen resemble or differ from NH3. (b) How does nitrogen
resemble or differ from CO2 in its reaction with each of the following (i) litmus
(ii) A burning candle (iii) burning magnesium

SUB-TOPIC 4: USES OF NITROGEN

1. In the Haber process in production of ammonia.
2. Liquid nitrogen is used as a refrigerant.
3. Due to its inertness and because it does not support combustion it is used for
the following purposes:
(a) For prevention of fire
(b) As a diluents: to reduce combustion (nitrogen is responsible for the low
heating value of producer gas, and the low combustion rate of atmospheric
oxygen.
(c) Nitrogen provides inert atmosphere for food processing and packaging,
and during some chemical reactions.
EVALUATION; state two uses of nitrogen

NITROGEN CYCLE
The continuous circulation of nitrogen between the free gaseous nitrogen in the
atmosphere and the combined nitrogen in the proteins of the living tissues is known
as the Nitrogen circle.
Nitrogen is an essential element in the formation of proteins in plants and animals.
Unfortunately, it cannot be used directly in its free gaseous state, except in the form
of trioxonitrate(v)salts (Nitrate). There are various processes through which
atmospheric nitrogen is converted into trioxonitrate(v) salts in the soil, the process
are called FIXATION OF FIXING OF NITROGEN.
1. When there is a thunder storm or lightning electric discharges are produced,
during which atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen combine to form unstable and
colourless nitrogen (ii) oxide
N2(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g)
The nitrogen (II) oxide readily combines with more oxygen, to form brown
fumes of nitrogen(iv) oxide.
2NO(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g)
The nitrogen (iv) oxide dissolves in rain water in the presence of oxygen, to
produce a very dilute solution of trioxonitrate (v) acid, HNO 3, which falls as
acid rain.
4NO2(g) + 02(g) 2NO2(g)
2. Plants absorb trioxnitrate (v) salts through the roots for the formation of flesh, and
the excess is excreted as urea-in urine and faeces. When plants and animal die
and decay, the bacteria in the soil decompose the proteins into organic
compounds of nitrogen which are then converted into ammonia and ammonium
salts, by PUTREFYING bacteria. A portion of the ammonium salts, in alkali
medium, is oxidized into trioxonitrate(v) salt by NITRIFYING bacteria, while the
remaining portion in acidic medium is oxidized to nitrogen, by DENTRIFYING
bacteria. The nitrogen eventually goes back into the atmosphere. This is the
process that usually compensate for the lost of atmospheric nitrogen.
3. Manure and nitrogeneous fertilizers are being added to the soil periodically, in
order to replace nitrogen that has been used up by crops or plants. The nitrogen
cycle operates in nature such that the percentage of nitrogen in the atmosphere
remains constant.

THE NITROGEN CYCLE

EVALUATION
1. Name one process, which converts atmospheric nitrogen to nitrate (v) in the soil.
2. Explain the formation of trioxonitrate (v) acid in the nitrogen cycle.

SUB-TOPIC 2: COMPOUNDS OF NITROGEN

1. OXIDES OF NITROGEN
The common oxides of nitrogen are:-Dinitrogen(i) oxide, N 2O- Nitrogen (ii) oxide,
NO. Nitrogen (iv) oxide, NO2, others are dinitrogen(iii) oxide, N 2O3, a pale blue liquid
at room temperature and dinitrogen(iv) oxide, N 2O4, a yellow liquid below the room
temperature and dinitrogen(v) oxide N2O5 that exists as an unusual white solid at
room temperature.
EVALUATION
Give the IUPAC name of (a) NO (b) N2O3 (c) NO2 (d) N2O5

SUB-TOPIC 3: AMMONIA
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA
The Haber process: Ammonia is manufactured from its constituent elements by a
process devised by a German chemist, Fritz Haber (1914). The raw materials used
are: nitrogen (obtained from water gas or natural gas).A mixture of dried nitrogen
and hydrogen in the ratio 1:3 by volume is subjected to a high pressure of 200 – 250
atmosphere, at about 450℃ and in the presence of finely divided iron as the
catalyst; the reaction is exothermic and reversible

N2(g) + 3H2(g) Fe 450℃ 2NH3(g)

250atm
Under these conditions, about 20% ammonia is produced.
Successive heating and cooling under pressure liquefy the ammonia gas produced
and the uncombined nitrogen and hydrogen are recycled. The flow chart for the
production of ammonia is shown below:

Mixture Mixture over finely Ammonia

in a drier Divided catalyst + liquefied
heat +pressure and
removed

EVALUATIONN
1. State the type of chemical bond between nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in a
molecule of ammonia.
2. In the industrial production of ammonia.
(a) What name is given to the process?
(b) State one source of each of the starting material.
(c) What are the operating temperature and pressure?

USES OF AMMONIA
1. Ammonia is used in refrigeration, since it can be liquefied easily.
2. In softening water used in laundry, to prevent wastage of soap.
3. As a domestic cleaner- to neutralize as in sweat.
4. In treating insect stings- to neutralize methanoic acid injected by the insects
5. In the production of plastics by polymerization
6. In the production of ammonium salts. Fertilizer and trioxonitrate(v) acid.
7. As a precipitating regent for the identification of cations in solutions.
EVALUATION
Explain why ammonia solution is often applied to insect stings.
TEST FOR AMMONIA GAS
Place any ammonia salt in a test tube, add any alkali and heat the mixture. A
colourless gas with choking smell is given off. The gas turns moist red litmus paper
to blue and produces dense white fumes with hydrogen chloride gas (from
concentrated HCl reagent bottle. The gas is ammonia
EVALUATION
State what is observed on warming ammonium trioxonitrate (v) with Sodium
hydroxide solution.
GENERAL EVALUATION
OBJECTIVE TEST:
1. Aqueous Ammonia solution used in the laboratory is referred to aqueous
ammonia and not ammonia hydroxide because. (a) ammonia dissolve in water
without forming bonds. (b) ammonia solution easily decomposes and liberates
free ammonia solution easily temperature of the room rises leaving water in the
bottle. (c) the bond between ammonia and OH - of water is weakly acidic .(d)
ammonia is less dense than air
2. Nitrogen (i) oxide rekindles a brightly glowing splint just like oxygen, but it is
different from oxygen because. (A) it is less dense than oxygen (B) it is fairly
soluble in water. (c) it thermally decomposes before it rekindles glowing splint. (d)
it is only laughing gas
3. Which of the following is an alkaline gas? (a) NO 2 (b) NO (c) NH3 (d) N20
4. Which of these is an alkaline gas? (a) NH3 (B) CO2(c) Cl2 (d) SO2
5. The following are not uses of nitrogen except (a) kindling fire (b) extinguishing fire
(c) preparation of water (d) To prepare perfume
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. (a) State how nitrogen can be diluents. Explain NH 3 (b) Nitrogen in the air act
as diluents. Explain
2. Describe one chemical test for ammonia gas.
3. Describe in outline., the manufacture of ammonia from its constituent
elements
4. (a) give two uses of aqueous ammonia (b) what will be the PH of aqueous
ammonia: less than 7, exactly 7, or greater than 7, explain
5. (a) Outline the chemistry of Haber process for the production of ammonia.
Why is ammonia manufactured in very large quantities? (b) Write a short
essay on the nitrogen cycle describing clearly its importance to life.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
Read about the industrial preparation of ammonia by Haber process on page 487 of
new certificate chemistry by Osei Yaw Ababio
PRE READING ASSIGNMENT
Read about allotropes of sulphur on page 381 of New School chemistry by Osei Yaw
Ababio
WEEK ACTIVITY
Draw the nitrogen cycle on page 423 of New School chemistry by Osei Yaw Ababio