Description
Tom-the-Atom calls for one of his sisters: Nitrogen. She is in the Periodic Table in Column 15 or Group 5A. Accordingly, she has five valence electrons in his outermost shell/subshell. She is the 2nd Row (or Period), to the right of Tom-the-Atom and the left of Oxygen. The second Row means that Nitrogen has two shells. Nitrogen occupies the same column that Phosphorus, just one Row above. Nitrogen belongs to the essential family of the Non-Metal-a small family with only seven siblings. However, five out of those seven siblings are among the most important actors responsible for life (Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Phosphorous CHONP)! We often refer to the air we breathe as "Oxygen," the most common molecules in our air is Nitrogen. Earth's atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen gas or N2. Even though there is so much Nitrogen in the air, there is very little in the Earth's crust. Nitrogen can also be found in all living organisms on Earth, including people, plants, and animals. Nitrogen plays an essential role in proteins and nucleic acids. You will learn that even we need Nitrogen, we cannot breathe it from the air. We will take it by eating our vegetables. In Book 18, you will learn about the Nitrogen Cycle.
