What Happens When Fire is Introduced to Nitrogen?
Nitrogen is a very common commodity, which makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. It is colorless, odorless, and for the most part an inert gas. But what happens if nitrogen comes in contact with fire? You would think that it would react explosively, but amazingly, nitrogen remains rather unreactive under ordinary conditions.
Why Doesn't Nitrogen Burn?
The reason it doesn't burn easily lies in its molecular structure. Nitrogen exists as N2, meaning two nitrogen atoms are tightly bonded together by a triple bond. That's one of the strongest bonds in nature. This requires inordinately large energy to disturb. Regular fire, burning at approximately 1000°C to 1500°C, does not develop such energy to disturb nitrogen's triple bond.
Nitrogen and Fire Safety
Nitrogen is also applied in smothering fire in firefighting as a result of the fact that it replaces the oxygen in air with its inertness; thus, the fire will be starved of oxygen. Fire cannot be sustained without oxygen, and for this reason, nitrogen is useful in controlling flames, particularly in chemical plants or server rooms.
Nitrogen at High Temperatures
However, with very high temperatures above 2000°C, nitrogen can start reacting with oxygen. This is how NOx (nitrogen oxides) are made and can normally be spotted at combustion engines or when lightning storms happen. With such reactions happening, some environmental hazards can occur, like smog and acid rain.
Conclusion
Although nitrogen in itself does not react with fire under normal conditions, it is very vital in the processes of fire suppression and contributes to the formation of nitrogen oxides at higher temperatures. Thus, nitrogen is both friend and foe because of its unusual properties.
