To test for nitrogen gas, you can use a simple demonstration that highlights its inert properties. Since nitrogen is a colorless, odorless gas that does not support combustion or react with most substances, the presence of nitrogen is typically inferred rather than directly tested.
One common method involves using a glowing splint. When you pass a glowing wooden splint into a container filled with nitrogen gas, the splint will not reignite, confirming that the atmosphere is not enriched with oxygen. This is because nitrogen makes up about 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere and is non-reactive under normal conditions.
Another way to assess nitrogen, especially in a laboratory setting, is through chemical reactions with certain reagents that could indirectly indicate the presence of nitrogenous compounds, but pure nitrogen gas itself is generally tested through its lack of reactivity.
In summary, to test for nitrogen gas, you can use the glowing splint test, where the absence of re-ignition indicates a high concentration of nitrogen, demonstrating its inert nature.