How Are Atoms Bonded in Nitrogen?

Anines

• Nitrogen with hydrogen form anines compounds, including methylamine and dimetylamine. Amines often form when nitrogen-containing compounds decompose, as organisms die. For this reason, plants rely on decomposing compost to give them the nitrogen molecules necessary for physiological processes. The methylamines are obtained by condensing methanol with ammonia, using an aluminum oxide catalyst.

Amides

• Amides are formed through a condensation reaction of alcohol with carboxylic acid. Carboxylic acids have at least one carboxyl group. Amides are found commonly in nature and industrial processes, because they are rigid and can resist the effort of water to split their hydrogen atoms. They are also easily formed.

Nylon

• Nylon comes from the condensation of hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid. Nylon is a series of synthetic polymers that have various commercial applications, such as in car components.

Amino Acids

• The proteins and peptides in the human body are made from amino acids, which are crucial for life. The human body produces some amino acids and gets others from animals and plants. The amino acids synthesized by higher organisms are called nonessential amino acids, while the amino acids not produced by lower organisms are essential amino acids. Because higher organisms could get their amino acids from lower organisms, not synthesizing them allowed these organisms to conserve energy.

Nitrogen Fixation

• Nitrogen forms compounds through nitrogen fixation, in which bacteria or lightning break the nitrogen molecule apart, so it can combine with other molecules to form compounds. Industrial factories must use 1,100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures, intense pressure and a catalyst to break apart nitrogen.

Nitrification

• Plants can convert ammonia into nitrates in a process called nitrification, with the help of nitrifying bacteria. Archaeal microbes in soil and water can also perform nitrification. In nitrification, oxygen oxidizes ammonia, turning it into a nitrate. Nitrates are highly reactive substances used in explosives.

Denitrification

• Bacteria can also remove nitrogen from the atmosphere and denitrify it, turning it back into ammonia. This replenishes nitrogen in the biosphere. Denitrification is a process of bacteria reducing nitrates through metabolic processes, to release energy they use as fuel.