Chemically, nitrogen dioxide has the formula NO_2 . It belongs to a group of nitrogen oxides. Millions of tonnes of nitric acid are produced annually for use largely in fertiliser manufacture, with NO_2
serving as an intermediary in this process. As the temperature rises, the gas turns reddish-brown. If inhaled in significant amounts, it can be lethal. The molecule of nitrogen dioxide is twisted and paramagnetic. The distance separating the nitrogen and oxygen atoms is 119.7 pm. A bond order between one and two and this bond length are consistent.
Since nitrogen possesses one unpaired electron, unlike ozone, nitrogen dioxide's ground electronic state, O_3, is a doublet state, which reduces the alpha effect compared to nitrite and produces a weak bonding contact with the oxygen lone pairs. Numerous detrimental effects of nitrogen dioxide on the lungs include:
Worsened cough and wheezing, worse lung function, more frequent asthma attacks, and a higher likelihood of admission to the hospital's emergency room are all symptoms of increased airway inflammation.
According to a recent study NO_2 is probably a contributing factor in childhood asthma.A sizable recent study discovered evidence that NO_2
, ozone, and other outdoor air pollutants increased the risk of lung cancer in humans. The 2016 study followed the air pollution levels that more than 350,000 cancer patients in California experienced from 1988 to 2011. The researchers discovered that their survival time was lowered by exposure to these air contaminants.
The greatest sources of emissions are power plants, heavy construction equipment driven by diesel, other moveable engines, and industrial boilers. Cars, trucks, and buses are next in line. In 2011, nitrogen oxide emissions from human-made sources in the United States totaled 14 million metric tonnes, primarily from burning fuels. As many of these sources continue to be cleaned up in the coming years, nitrogen dioxide emissions will decrease.
When airborne nitrogen and oxygen gases combine during combustion, especially at high temperatures, nitrogen oxides are generated. Nitrogen and oxygen gases do not combine at standard temperatures.
A lightning strike naturally generates nitrogen oxides. A lightning strike can generate temperatures of about 30,000 kelvin (53,540 degrees Fahrenheit). You might wonder how frequently lightning strikes the earth. Every second, about 100 lightning strikes the surface of the earth.Nitrogen oxides are a byproduct of fuel combustion in stationary and mobile sources in big cities. Nitrogen oxides are released into the environment when gasoline is burned in automobiles.