These organisms employ enzymes called nitrogenases, which contain iron and molybdenum. To date, the only known kind of biological organisms capable of nitrogen fixation are microorganisms. Nitrogen fixation is the process where organisms convert atmospheric nitrogen into biologically useful chemicals. (credit roots: modification of work by the United States Department of Agriculture credit root nodules: modification of work by Louisa Howard) A few microorganisms are able to process atmospheric nitrogen using nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen fixation also occurs when lightning passes through air, causing molecular nitrogen to react with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides, which are then carried down to the soil.įigure 1. In this case, nitrogen fixation is the process where organisms convert atmospheric nitrogen into biologically useful chemicals. This process is one type of nitrogen fixation. The general lack of reactivity of nitrogen makes the remarkable ability of some bacteria to synthesize nitrogen compounds using atmospheric nitrogen gas as the source one of the most exciting chemical events on our planet. The only common reactions at room temperature occur with lithium to form Li 3N, with certain transition metal complexes, and with hydrogen or oxygen in nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Nitrogen is very unreactive because of the very strong triple bond between the nitrogen atoms. Liquid nitrogen is a useful coolant because it is inexpensive and has a low boiling point. Under ordinary conditions, nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Nitrogen is a component of proteins and of the genetic material (DNA/RNA) of all plants and animals. This means there are more than 20 million tons of nitrogen over every square mile of the earth’s surface. The atmosphere consists of 78% nitrogen by volume. Most pure nitrogen comes from the fractional distillation of liquid air. Describe the properties, preparation, and uses of nitrogen.
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