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The Difference Between Nitrogen Gas & Liquid Nitrogen

Nitrogen occurs naturally. As the sixth most commonly found element, nitrogen comprises much of Earth's atmosphere. Nitrogen occurs in two measurable forms: gas and liquid. Liquid nitrogen differs from nitrogen gas. Both have different practical applications. Due to their different chemical compositions, liquid nitrogen and nitrogen gas possess different properties and users must observe different precautions.

  1. Identification

    • The discovery of nitrogen dates back to the early part of the 1770s. Several scientists each conducted research, adding to the world's knowledge of nitrogen. Scottish physicist Daniel Rutherford discovered that animals were unable to breathe in air he subsequently named "noxious air." Carl Scheele, a Swedish chemist, made a similar observation and named the substance "foul air." French scientist Antoine Lavosier came to the scientific realization that two gases, oxygen and nitrogen, comprise air.

    Properties

    • Both liquid nitrogen and nitrogen gas differ in their physical form. Liquid nitrogen comes in the form of a liquid, while nitrogen gas exists as an atmospheric gas. Both forms of nitrogen present as odorless and colorless. Both nitrogen gas and liquid nitrogen pose no fire hazard, as they are nonflammable.

    Function

    • Manufacturers and industry use different nitrogen forms for various practical applications. Liquid nitrogen allows food manufacturers to quickly freeze food products. Blood banks and hospitals apply liquid nitrogen in blood storage for patient care. Liquid nitrogen treatments help patients with ailments, such as warts, skin cancer and birth. Nitrogen gas allows chemical refineries to maintain safe facilities and prevent explosion by using the gas as a suppressive agent. Engineers also use nitrogen gas in laser cutting machines and in fuel mining. Hydraulic fracturing uses liquid nitrogen injections into rocks underground in an effort to extract the natural gas and oil beneath the rocks' surface.

    Hazards

    • Both forms of nitrogen present hazards. Exercise caution when handling liquid nitrogen. Damaging frostbite occurs following direct contact with liquid nitrogen. High levels of the gas, enough to drop oxygen levels below 19.5 percent may suffocate individuals in the vicinity of the nitrogen gas.

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