NITROGEN

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) A simple gaseous body which forms a constituent part of nitric acid, and which, being unrespirable, has also been termed azote: from ot, privative, and Za»i, life. It was identified as a peculiar gas by Dr. Rutherford in 1774, and shown to be one of the components of atmospheric air by Lavoisier in 1774. It is generally obtained by burning a piece of phosphorus in a jar full of air inverted over water. The phosphorus during its combustion combine^ with the oxygen of the air to form phosphoric acid, which is di olved by the water, and the remaining element of the air, namely, the nitrogen, remains. Nitrogen is a colourle , inodorous, and tastele gas, not absorbed by water, and having no action on vegetable colours. It extinguishes all burning bodies, and is itself uninflammable. It is a little lighter than atmospheric air, 100 cubic inches weighing 30- 16 grains. Its equivalent is 14, and it combines.with oxygen in 5 proportions, giving rise to the following compounds: — BvTolume. By weight. EquW. Symbols. N. O. N. O. 1. Nitrous oxide 100 + 50 = 14 -J- »=22 = n+ o. 2. Nitric oxide 100 -i- 100 = 14 + 16 = 30 = w + 2 o. 3. Hyponitrous acid 100 + 150 = 14 + 24 = 38 = n + 3 o. 4. Nitrous acid 100 -|- 200 = 14 + 32 = 46 = n + 4 o. 5. Nitric acid 100 + 250 = 14 + 40 = 54 = n + 5 o. [s. 839]