EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -nitrogen fixation, any natural or industrial process that causes free nitrogen (N2), which is a relatively inert gas plentiful in air, to combine chemically with other elements to form more-reactive nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites.

Detailed explanation-2: -Nitrogen gas is called “free” nitrogen, meaning it is not combined with other kinds of atoms. Most organisms can use nitrogen only once it has been “fixed, ” or combined with other elements to form nitrogen-containing compounds.

Detailed explanation-3: -In the atmosphere, nitrogen exists as a gas (N2), but in the soils it exists as nitrogen oxide, NO, and nitrogen dioxide, NO2, and when used as a fertilizer, can be found in other forms, such as ammonia, NH3, which can be processed even further into a different fertilizer, ammonium nitrate, or NH4NO3.

Detailed explanation-4: -The major source of nitrogen is the atmosphere. It exists as a colorless, odorless, nontoxic gas and makes up about 78 percent of the atmosphere. Nitrogen is also found in the Earth’s crust as part of organic matter and humus.

Detailed explanation-5: -Nitrogen gas (N2) has two nitrogen atoms connected by a very strong triple bond. Most plants and animals cannot use the nitrogen in nitrogen gas because they cannot break that triple bond. In order for plants to make use of nitrogen, it must be transformed into molecules they can use.