Nitrogen
Nitrógeno (N, Z=7)
- Date
- 1772 · confidence high
- Place
- Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- Daniel Rutherford
- People
- 👤 Daniel Rutherford1749–1819
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What was discovered
Rutherford described the 'noxious air' left after burning substances and absorbing the CO2; Scheele, Cavendish and Priestley studied it at the same time.
Shared priority among Rutherford, Scheele, Cavendish and Priestley; Chaptal coined 'nitrogen' in 1790.
What it led to
- Understanding of the composition of air
- Nitrogen fertilisers and explosives
- Cryogenics with liquid nitrogen
Built on
- Fixed air (carbon dioxide) and quantitative pneumatic chemistry1756
- Hales's pneumatic trough
Made possible
- Haber-Bosch process1909–1913
- Nitroglycerin and dynamite