nitrogen

plural nitrogens

1. uncountablechemistryThe chemical element (symbol N) with an atomic number of 7 and atomic weight of 14.0067. It is a colorless and odorless gas.

   Holonyms: dinitrogen, N₂, nitrogen (loose sense)

   2 more examples

   By molar fraction, nitric oxide contains equal parts nitrogen and oxygen.

   All life depends on nitrogen; it is the building block from which nature assembles amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids; the genetic information that orders and perpetuates life is written in nitrogen ink.

   2006, Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Penguin Press, →ISBN, page 42

2. uncountableloose but very common; even in formal use; loose but very common; even in formal useMolecular nitrogen (diatomic nitrogen), N₂, a colorless, odorless gas at room temperature, which constitutes most of air (78% of it).

   Meronyms: nitrogen (strict sense), N

   3 more examples

   The air you breathe is mostly nitrogen.

   The truck was carrying tanks of nitrogen, so there was no fire risk. Police stated that if the truck had been carrying tanks of oxygen, as it often does, there might have been an explosion.

   Volatiles of kecap manis and its raw materials were extracted using Likens-Nickerson apparatus with diethyl ether as the extraction solvent. The extracts were then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, concentrated using a rotary evaporator followed by flushing using nitrogen until the volume was about 0.5 ml.

   1997, A. J. Taylor, D. S. Mothram, editors, Flavour Science: Recent Developments, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 63

   Synonyms: dinitrogen

3. countableA specific nitrogen atom within a chemical formula, or a specific isotope of nitrogen.

   The two nitrogens are located next to one another on the ring.