HISTORY

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(L. nitrum, Gr. Nitron, native soda; genes, forming) Nitrogen

 was discovered by chemist and physician Daniel Rutherford 

in 1772. He removed oxygen and carbon dioxide from air and 

showed that the residual gas would not support combustion 

or living organisms. At the same time there were other 

noted scientists working on the problem of nitrogen. These 

included Scheele, Cavendish, Priestly, and others. They 

called it ¡§burnt or dephlogisticated air,¡¨ which meant air 

without oxygen.