Nitrogen (N) is a tasteless, odorless, and colorless non-metal gas. It is the most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere and makes up all living things. It is even found in the Sun, many meteorites, and the gases of volcanoes! Henry Cavendish and Joseph Priest worked with nitrogen gas in the 1760s, but it was a student named Daniel Rutherford who deemed it was an element in his 1772 doctoral thesis.
Nitrogen is very important to plant growth, as it helps them create DNA, RNA, and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Along with phosphorus and potassium, it is an essential component in fertilizers. Have you ever noticed how soybean fields change colors as they grow? When soybeans are small, they are often a light green. Once they turn dark green, it means that they have started to take nitrogen from the soil.
"Nitrogen." Royal Society of Chemistry.