Chapter – 12

Nitrogen and sulfur

Momtahina Tabassum
Chemistry Teacher
 Nitrogen gas
• Nitrogen is in Group 15 of the Periodic
Table.
• It is a non-metallic element that makes up
about 78% of the
• Earth’s atmosphere. It exists as diatomic
molecules, N2 .
• Nitrogen gas is the main unreactive gas in
air that dilutes the effects of the reactive
gas, oxygen.
• The electronic configuration of a nitrogen
atom is 1s2 2s2 2p3
• Its atoms need to gain three electrons to
achieve the noble gas configuration of
neon.
• Nitrogen atoms do this by forming a triple
covalent bond between two N atoms
• The triple covalent bond is very strong. Its bond energy is
almost 1000 kJ mol−1.
• This bond is difficult to break and so nitrogen gas will only
react under extreme conditions.
• For example, the nitrogen and oxygen in the air do react
together during thunderstorms.
 Ammonia and ammonium compounds
A dot-and-cross diagram showing the covalent bonding in an ammonia molecule
and its triangular pyramidal shape.

The co-ordinate (dative) covalent bond is shown by the arrow that points from the
donor atom (N) to the acceptor of the lone pair (H+ ion).
 Basicity of ammonia
• When ammonia donates its lone pair of electrons to an H+ ion, as described
above, ammonia is acting as a base in this reaction or Brønsted-Lowry
bases as ‘proton (or H+ ion) acceptors .
•

• In an aqueous solution of ammonia,an equilibrium mixture is established:

•

• The position of equilibrium lies to the left so there is a greater concentration

of ammonia molecules in the solution than hydroxide ions. This makes the
ammonia solution only weakly alkaline unlike a strong base such as sodium
hydroxide, which dissociates (splits up into aqueous ions) completely in
solution.
 Displacement of ammonia from its salts:
• If we heat an ammonium salt with a base, the ammonium ion,
NH4+, produces ammonia gas, NH3
• This reaction is to prepare ammonia gas in the laboratory.
Ammonium chloride and calcium hydroxide, both in the solid state,
are usually mixed together, then heated-

•
•
Uses of Ammonia & its Compounds
• Used in the production of nitric acid
• Used in the production of inorganic fertilizers
• Used in the production of nylon
• Used in the production of explosives
• Oxides of Nitrogen
• The complete oxidation of the nitrogen gas takes place in three steps:
• Step 1: Lightning provides the high activation energy needed for the
oxidation of the unreactive nitrogen gas to form nitrogen(II) oxide:

• The nitrogen(II) oxide formed is then further oxidized by oxygen in the air to
give nitrogen(IV) oxide, NO2

• Nitrogen(IV) oxide dissolves in water droplets in the air, and reacts with more
oxygen, to form a dilute solution of nitric acid. The dilute acid falls to the
Earth in rain:

• This sequence of reactions in the atmosphere forms part of the natural

nitrogen cycle.
• Catalytic convertors: exhaust gases passed through
catalytic convertors containing a catalyst
(platinum/palladium/nickel) helping to reduce oxides
to nitrogen.
• In this way, nitrogen from unreactive, insoluble
nitrogen gas can get into –
• the soil in a soluble form that plants can absorb.
• The plants can then use the nitrate ions, NO3−, from
the dilute nitric acid to make proteins.
• These proteins are essential for healthy growth of
the plants.
 Nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere
• Nitrogen oxides pollute our atmosphere. They cause acid rain and
photochemical smog.
• 2NO(g) +O2(g) ⇌2NO2(g)
• NO2(aq) +H2O(l) +1.5 O2(g) →2HNO3(aq)
• The water is often in the form of tiny droplets that make up clouds. The droplets
get larger as the temperature drops when clouds rise. When heavy enough the
droplets, containing dilute nitric acid, will fall as acid rain.

• Damages trees & plants, kills fish and other river life, buildings, statues and
metal structures
• Dilute sulfuric acid is also found in acid rain. This comes from
another pollutant called sulfur dioxide gas (or sulfur(IV) oxide).
• Nitrogen oxides, as well as causing acid rain directly, can also act
as catalysts in the reactions that make dilute sulfuric acid in the
atmosphere.
• NO and NO2 catalyse the oxidation of sulfur dioxide gas, SO2 ,
during the formation of acid rain.
• The gas sulfur trioxide, SO3, that is produced by this oxidation of
SO2, reacts with rainwater, forming dilute sulfuric acid:
• This NO2 molecule can then go on to oxidise another sulfur
dioxide molecule.
• At the same time, the reaction also produces an NO molecule
to make another NO2 molecule. This will oxidise another
sulfur dioxide molecule, and so on.
• Therefore, NO2 effectively catalyses the oxidation of SO2
• Combustion Pollutants:
• The oxides of nitrogen are also dangerous in the atmosphere
because they react to make other pollutants.
• Nitrogen oxide (NO): formed by reaction of N2 and O2 in the
engine, forms acid rain and respiratory problems
• PAN, peroxyacetyl nitrate, is a pollutant found in photochemical
smog.
• It is formed by reactions between oxides of nitrogen and unburnt
hydrocarbons and other VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
• Carbon monoxide (CO):
source: incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuel, toxic effect on
hemoglobin
Reducing the effects of nitrogen oxides
• car exhaust systems are fitted with catalytic converters to help
reduce the pollutants from motor vehicles.
• The reaction of pollutant gases inside the converter takes
place on the surface of the hot catalyst, for example platinum.
The nitrogen oxides are reduced to form harmless nitrogen
gas, which is released from the vehicle’s exhaust pipe.
• 2CO(g) + 2NO(g) → 2CO2(g) + N2(g)