Nitrogen makes up the major portion of the atmosphere (78.03% by volume, 75.5% by weight). Gaseous nitrogen is inert, colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, non corrosive, and nonflammable. Nitrogen is inert and will not support combustion; however, it is not life supporting. 氮構成了大氣的大部分（體積比78.03，重量比75.5%）。氣態氮是不活潑的，無色，無嗅，無味，無毒，無腐蝕性，不可燃。氮是不活潑的，不支持燃燒；但是它不是維持生命的必要元素。 Nitrogen is inert except when heated to very high temperatures, where it combines with some of the more active metals, such as lithium and magnesium, to form nitrides. It will also combine with oxygen to form oxides of nitrogen and when combined with hydrogen in the presence of catalysts, will form ammonia. 一般情況下，氮是不活潑的的。當加熱到非常高的溫度時它會同更加活潑的金屬，如鋰和鎂反應生成氮化物。它還會同氧反應生成氮的氧化物，而且當在有催化劑存在時它會同氫反應生成氨。 Since gaseous nitrogen is non corrosive, special materials of construction are not required. Vessels and piping should be designed to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards or Department of Transportation (DOT) codes for the pressure and temperatures involved. 由于氣態氮無腐蝕性，不需要特殊的建材。容器和管道系統要根據相關的壓力和溫度按照美國機械工程師協會（ASME）的標準或交通部（DOT）的規定來設計。 Nitrogen may be compressed into cylinders using water- or oil-lubricated compressors or by dry compression systems. 可以使用水或油潤滑的壓縮機或干壓縮系統把氮壓縮進鋼瓶。