Nitrogen

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nitrogen \Ni`tro*gen\ (n[imac]"tr[-o]*j[e^]n), n. [L. nitrum
     natron + -gen: cf. F. nitrog[`e]ne. See {Niter}.] (Chem.)
     A colorless nonmetallic element of atomic number 7, tasteless
     and odorless, comprising four fifths of the atmosphere by
     volume in the form of molecular nitrogen ({N2}). It is
     chemically very inert in the free state, and as such is


     incapable of supporting life (hence the name {azote} still
     used by French chemists); but it forms many important
     compounds, such as ammonia, nitric acid, the cyanides, etc,
     and is a constituent of all organized living tissues, animal
     or vegetable. Symbol N. Atomic weight 14.007. It was formerly
     regarded as a permanent noncondensible gas, but was liquefied
     in 1877 by Cailletet of Paris, and Pictet of Geneva, and
     boils at -195.8 [deg] C at atmospheric pressure. Liquid
     nitrogen is used as a refrigerant to store delicate
     materials, such as bacteria, cells, and other biological
     materials.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nitrogen
       n : a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless
           odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78
           percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all
           living tissues [syn: {N}, {atomic number 7}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  46 Moby Thesaurus words for "nitrogen":
     acetylene, ammonia, argon, asphyxiating gas, butane,
     carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, castor-bean meal, chlorine,
     coal gas, commercial fertilizer, compost, dressing, dung,
     enrichener, ethane, ether, ethylene, fertilizer, fluorine,
     formaldehyde, guano, helium, hydrogen, illuminating gas, krypton,
     lewisite, manure, marsh gas, methane, muck, mustard gas,
     natural gas, neon, night soil, nitrate, organic fertilizer, oxygen,
     ozone, phosphate, poison gas, propane, radon, sewer gas,
     superphosphate, xenon
  
  

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  nitrogen
  Symbol: N
  Atomic number: 7
  Atomic weight: 14.0067
  Colourless, gaseous element which belongs to group 15 of the periodic
  table. Constitutes ~78% of the atmosphere and is an essential part of the
  ecosystem. Nitrogen for industrial purposes is acquired by the fractional
  distillation of liquid air. Chemically inactive, reactive generally only
  at high temperatures or in electrical discharges. It was discovered in
  1772 by D. Rutherford.