Kväveatoms

Kväveatoms refers to an atom of the element nitrogen. Nitrogen is a chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. It is a nonmetal and the lightest element in Group 15 of the periodic table, also known as the pnictogens. At standard temperature and pressure, two atoms of nitrogen combine to form a diatomic molecule, N₂, which is colorless and odorless. This molecule makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere, making it the most abundant gas in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen atoms are essential for life as they are a fundamental component of amino acids, which form proteins, and nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. The nitrogen cycle describes the complex processes by which nitrogen is converted into various chemical forms and circulated among the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms. While atmospheric nitrogen is abundant, most organisms cannot directly utilize it in its N₂ form and rely on nitrogen-fixing bacteria or other biological processes to convert it into usable nitrates or ammonia.

The electron configuration of a nitrogen atom is 1s²2s²2p³. This configuration indicates that a nitrogen atom has five valence electrons, giving it a high electronegativity. This property allows nitrogen to form strong covalent bonds with other elements, including itself, and also participate in ionic bonding. The chemical properties of nitrogen are diverse, ranging from its inertness as a diatomic gas to its reactivity in compounds like ammonia (NH₃) and nitric acid (HNO₃).