What is the Difference Between Nitrogen and Nitrate?

The main difference between nitrogen and nitrate is that nitrogen is an element, while nitrate is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen. Here are some key points to consider:

• Nitrogen: It is a chemical element with the atomic number 7 and symbol N, and it is the main reservoir of nitrogen in its gaseous form. Plants cannot use gaseous nitrogen directly, so some bacteria convert it into water-soluble forms like nitrates, nitrites, or ammonium.
• Nitrate: Nitrate is an anion composed of one part nitrogen and three parts oxygen, with nitrogen making up about 22.6% of the nitrate ion. Nitrates are highly available anionic forms containing nitrogen, and they are naturally occurring in the environment. Plants can absorb nitrogen in nitrate form, making it a crucial nutrient for plant growth.

In summary:

• Nitrogen is a chemical element (N).
• Nitrate is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen (NO3-).
• Nitrogen is the main reservoir of nitrogen in its gaseous form.
• Nitrate is a water-soluble form of nitrogen used by plants.

When it comes to testing and reporting nitrate levels, some laboratories report the concentration of nitrate (NO3-), while others report the amount of nitrogen in the nitrate ion (nitrate nitrogen). To convert between nitrate and nitrate nitrogen, you can use the following formulas:

• Nitrate = Nitrate Nitrogen x 4.43
• Nitrate Nitrogen = Nitrate x 0.226

Comparative Table: Nitrogen vs Nitrate

Here is a table comparing the differences between nitrogen and nitrate:

Please note that while nitrogen and nitrate sound similar, they are very different terms. Nitrogen is an element, while nitrate is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen.