Question #6daa1

1 Answer
Aug 10, 2017

Nitrogen gas is more reactive than noble gases but less reactive than most other gases.

Explanation:

Nitrogen gas is held together by a triple bond. The 3 unpaired electrons of one atom bond with the 3 unpaired electrons of the other nitrogen atom. This triple bond is very strong and very stable.
This makes Nitrogen gas (#N_2#) very unreactive.

Nitrogen gas is more reactive than the noble gases. #N_2# has two sets of paired electrons that can be used in chemical reactions (Each Nitrogen atom has a set of paired electrons) Paired electrons are stable. However bacteria have found ways of attacking these paired electrons to change atmospheric Nitrogen into Nitrates and Nitrites (# NO_3, NO_2#.

Nitrogen is less stable than the noble gases, but more reactive than most other gases.