What is atmospheric nitrogen?

Question

This may seem really stupid, but i really wanted a proper definition and i couldn't find a proper one, that was any use to me!

Answer 1

It's the nitrogen that is in the atmosphere, not anywhere else in the nitrogen cycle...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...

Answer 2

both the prior answers are good.

atmospheric nitrogen is diatomic nitrogen N2 a triple bond between the 2 atoms. It is a gas. But to qualify as atmospheric nitrogen it has to be part of the atmosphere. The atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen N2, 20% Oxygen 1% argon and a whole host of other gases in tiny concentrations, water vapour, being the next most abundant (but highly variable). a tiny 0.38% is Carbon dioxide. (without it we would all be dead, as no plants and too dam cold)

Nitrogen also exists in nitrates, proteins, urea, nitrides, and all sorts of solids and liguids. Nitrogen in living things is recycled much as carbon is. The nitrogen in the nitrogen is only sparingly interchanged with nitrogen in the air. Mainly because the N2 molecure is extremly stable and so it takes a lot of energy to cause it to react. Lightening is one way. So atmospheric nitrogen is the great bulk of the air, that just sits there doing pretty much nothing

Answer 3

The diatomic free nitrogen (N2) in the air. Makes up about 78% of the atmosphere by volume. The rest is mainly oxygen and a smattering of Argon and CO2.