The answer lies mostly in three facts:
1. nitrogen is volatile in most of its forms
2. it is unreactive with materials that make up the solid earth
3. it is very stable in the presence of solar radiation.
To understand the abundance of N in the atmosphere, it is useful to compare it to O (the next most abundant element in the atmosphere). Compared to O, N is 4 times as abundant in the atmosphere. However, we must also consider the relative abundances of O and N over the entire Earth (oxygen is about 10,000 times more abundant). These earthly abundances overall reflect the composition of the material from which the Earth originally formed and the process of Earth's accretion. Oxygen is a major component of the solid earth, along with Si and elements such as Mg, Ca and Na. Nitrogen is not stable as a part of a crystal lattice, so it is not incorporated into the solid Earth. This is one reason why nitrogen is so enriched in the atmosphere relative to oxygen. The other primary reason is that, unlike oxygen, nitrogen is very stable in the atmosphere and is not involved to a great extent in chemical reactions that occur there. Thus, over geological time, it has built up in the atmosphere to a much greater extent than oxygen. It is important to know that both nitrogen and oxygen are intimately involved with the cycle of life on the planet, but that chemicals cycle through this material on a short time scale relative to the geological processes that have, over time, made the earth what it is today (compositionally and physically). N and O are found in the living biosphere and fossil organic matter (and both are soluble in sea water too). But, only a small fraction (less than 1% for N and much, much less than 1% for O) of the total for these element on the planet are to be found in these places.
2007-02-14 23:06:07
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Nitrogen has a triple bound between the two nitrogen atoms in the nitrogen molecule. This triple bound is very difficult to break, although some bacteria have figured out how to do it. A bolt of lightning also can convert nitrogen into nitrides or nitrates. Oxygen has a double bond in its molecule, which is relatively easy to overcome. Oxygen will readily combine with many elements and compounds since it is the second most electronegative element on the Periodic Chart (after fluorine).
2007-02-15 07:02:15
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answer #2
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answered by Amphibolite 7
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Nitrogen is most abundant gas on earth cuz the other gases absorbed by some mediums like oxygen by humans and carbon dioxide by plants and etc,so nitrogen is not absorbable gas therefore
its present abundantly on earth.
2007-02-14 23:08:11
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answer #3
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answered by nisarlove2 2
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