Nitrogen

The correct Lewis dot structure of Nitrogen has a triple bond and 2 lone pairs

Nitrogen is a diatomic element

Nitrogen is in the 5A group of elements and supplies 5 valence electrons for bonding. Because of this, Nitrogen readily bonds with many other elements, including itself. Most Nitrogen exists as inert N₂ gas.

Based on it's position on the periodic table, we can see that Nitrogen is part of the P block which implies that its valence electrons terminate in the P orbitals. It is in the second row, so it has an energy level of 2. The full electron diagram of N is seen above.

Because of Hund's Rule, each 2p orbital (2px, 2py, and 2pz, drawn as 3 separate boxes above) each have one electron before any of them are fully occupied.

The triple bonds in N₂ are an overlap of sigma and pi bonds

When S and P orbitals from one Nitrogen overlap with each other, they share the electrons in "chemical bonds". S orbitals overlap in sigma (σ) bonds, while P orbitals overlap in pi (π) bonds. This forms a very stable bond.

How does the atomic structure of N₂ impact us?

N₂ is stable, but mostly inert

Atomic Weight: 14.00674

Melting Point: 63.15 K (-210.00°C or -346.00°F)

Boiling Point: 77.36 K (-195.79°C or -320.44°F)

Density: 0.0012506 grams per cubic centimeter

Because of the strong triple bond that N₂ forms, it doesn't react with many other chemicals. This makes supercooled liquid nitrogen useful for rapid freezing, which is used by some ice cream makers.

Our atmospheric air is composed of 78% N₂ gas

While lifeforms on this planet require both oxygen and carbon dioxide extracted from the air, what we breath in is mostly nitrogen gas. Most of this nitrogen gas comes in and out of our lungs without interacting with any tissue or chemicals.

Some N₂ gas does dissolve into our blood stream, but it exists at such low concentrations that it doesn't form bubbles. If you were to go to great pressures, like while Scuba diving, the concentration of N₂ in the blood can increase. If you ascend the water too quickly, this increased N₂ concentration can decompress and actually bubble out of the blood. This condition, known as the Bends, can cause permanent nerve damage, blood clotting, and death.

What we perceive as sound is the compression of molecules as energy travels in a transverse wave. The specific density of air, which is predominantly N₂, gives us the the music we know and love.

Thanks Nitrogen!

How does sound work?

You don't need to be an Otorhinolaryngologist to understand it.

When those compressed waves hit your ear drum (like in the form of moving N₂ molecules), they move a small set of bones in your ear that amplify the frequency of those waves in your cochlea (the blue tube on the left). Inside of the cochlea are little hairs, or cilia, that pick up particular frequencies. When these are stimulated, they send a nerve impulse to your brain which you perceive as sound.

The more hairs in your ear, the better.

Be careful not to listen to music too loud.

If you pump too much energy at one frequency into your cochlea, those cilia can become permanently bent. Your brain will first hear this as a persistent ringing (like after a loud concert) known as tinnitus. If the cilia don't recover, our brains adapt and tune that frequency out forever.

The older you get, the more frequencies you lose the ability to hear. How many frequencies can you still hear?

Some frequencies are celebrated in almost all cultures. There is evidence that these are biologically programmed to be soothing.

Bass is the foundation of almost all good music. If you are master of the 4 string instrument, you've got yourself a position in almost any band. Some scientists suspect that our love for bass starts from conception. What do you think?

Some frequencies are celebrated in almost all cultures. There is evidence that these are biologically programmed to be soothing.

According to this New York Times analysis, the music we listen to as teens is what we love for the rest of our lives. The researcher used Spotify analytics to look for certain listening patterns among age groups that are persistent today. According to this, Smith should be a big fan of Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz; this study might be on to something.

Music stimulates your hippocampus to develop strong memories

LoFi girl has been studying since before Smith was in College. She must be super smart by now.

How does sound affect our developed brain?

A lot of students prefer to listen to music while they study (or even during lecture, to tune out Mr. Smith). A Stanford School of Medicine Study (2007) tracked brain activity using MRI scans to determine the impact of musical patterns on specific brain waves. Ultimately, they noticed that our brains keen in on specific rhythms that help us sense and predict patterns. When that pattern is disrupted, it can disrupt our thinking.

"Having a mismatch between what listeners expect to hear vs. what they actually hear - for example, if an unrelated chord follows an ongoing harmony - triggers similar ventral regions of the brain. Once activated, that region partitions the deviant chord as a different segment with distinct boundaries."

STOP LISTENING TO THAT $#!@, IT'S DISTRACTING ME!

That Stanford Study (2007) is quoted all over the place for justifying one type of music over another for studying. Additional studies from Imperial College London found that certain genres affect genders differently, with men more likely to lose concentration when listening to rock music, but more likely to focus when listening to classical. Women in the study were not negatively impacted by the same music.

There are some studies that show a quiet environment is preferred for deep concentration or that white noise can be optimal for mental focus. Alternatively, sometimes music with no vocals is recommended over actual music with vocals. You could find a study that supports rap being bad for brain development, and conversely rap being good for studying.

We as humans have a huge variety of preferences and tastes, and in turn, optimal study music is hugely subjective. The best music for studying depends on your mood and your taste. If someone tells you to turn down your tunes, be prepared to show them the science that supports your brain waves!

DONG's Certified Banger Albums

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
Banger album. Favorite song is Wesley's Theory.

Kendrick Lamar- good kid MAAD city
Another certified banger. The track list is truly unmatched. Losing to The Heist for best rap album was truly robbery.

Kanye West - Graduation
"But he made Graduation"
This was made in Kanye's golden era. Best song is Flashing lights.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
This is my favorite album for sure. The track list is outright legendary. No skips in this album at all. This was also made in Kanye's golden era. Too bad he's gone mad now. Best song is Devil In A New Dress.

DONG's Certified Bangers

Kanye West - Gorgeous
Kanye's 10/10.

Kanye West - Hey Mama
I love my mom. This is the song that motivate me every day. Every time I listen to this song, it would remind me that I need to do what I need to do.

Kanye West - Ghost Town
Close second for my best song. This makes me feel both happy and depressed at the same time. Every time I listen to this; I would reminisce about my past whether it was a happy or sad moment.

Kanye West - Devil In A New Dress
Best song OAT, I be listening on repeat, never feels old. Best verse is rick ross's ironically.

DONG's Ceritied Artists

Kanye Omari West
Favorite artist by far. Throughout my short time on this earth, Kanye has always been my favorite artist. His album discography is just truly unmatched. Every album from Donda backwards is just pieces of art that can never be compared with ever. Too bad he's on them nitrous gas now.

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar's album discography is not as good as Kanye's but he has produced some of the most classic songs that I grew up with. I remember his "Humble" song being played every time we had P.E in elementary and middle school. Also, I'm a bit biased because I'm from Long Beach and he's from Compton (We're basically neighbors...kinda)

Tame Impala
Tame Impala is also one of my favorites. Album discography is also quite good. His album "Lonerism" is what got me to discover more of his music. Favorite album gotta be Currents tho. Disciples is my favorite song on the album.