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Naming History
The name Nitrogen comes from the Greek word nitron genes meaning nitre forming which was the original name for potassium nitrate (KNO3). Words often assoicated with Nitrogen compounds are azo and azide which come from the French word azote meaning without life. Additional Nitrogen compounds use words such as ammonia, amino and amine which are named after the Ancient Egyptian God Ammon because the first ammonium salts were obtained from Egypt. This is also where the term amino acid comes from because amino acids are Nitrogen containing compounds.
Discovery
Nitrogen was first used in ancient times as smelling salts in the form of sal ammoniac (aka ammonium chloride, NH4Cl). Early alchemists were often intrigued by the volatility of this substance and one, Robert Boyle, studied it determining it was composed of ammonia and hydrochloric acid. In the 1760's Henry Cavendish, Stephen Hales and Joseph Priestley attempted to remove Oxygen from air leading to an 'air' that was made of some unknown substance. It wasn't until Daniel Rutherford in 1772 proposed that this 'air' was mainly Nitrogen gas.
Characteristics
Nitrogen is an essential element in living processes and chemical and agricultural industries.
There is around 1.8 kg of Nitrogen in the human body with 72 parts per million (ppm) in tissues 34,000 ppm in blood and 43,000 ppm in bones.
The Earth's crust contains 25 ppm of Nitrogen making it the 30th most abundant element.
Soil is a common place to find Nitrogen with an average of 5 ppm.
The atmosphere is mostly Nitrogen gas making up 78%.
Liquid Nitrogen exists at -196 C (-320.8 F) making it effective at cooling things and acting as a cryogen.
Naturally Occurring Minerals
Some nitrate containing minerals are known such as nitratine (NaNO3), nitrobarite (Ba(NO3)2) and nitrocalcite (Ca(NO3)2(H2O)4) but they are uncommon. There is over 3 million billion tonnes of Nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere that is extracted for commercial uses at a rate of 45 million tonnes per year.
Where can I find this element @ home
Nitrogen containing fertilizers are commonly used in the form of ammonium nitrite (NH4NO3).
There are many vegetables that such as lettuce and spinach that contain Nitrogen in the form of nitrites.
Cleaning supplies sometimes contain Nitrogen in the form of ammonia.