Why are potato chip bags always puffed up? Why don’t light bulbs turn black even after long use? Nitrogen rarely comes up in daily life, yet it makes up 78% of the air we breathe. Nitrogen is quietly changing your life.

Nitrogen has a density similar to air, is hardly soluble in water, and has a “highly aloof” chemical nature—it rarely reacts with other substances, making it the “Zen master” of gases.

In the semiconductor industry, nitrogen serves as an inert protective gas, isolating materials from air to prevent oxidation and contamination, ensuring the stability and precision of processes such as wafer fabrication and chip packaging.

In food packaging, it is a “preservation guardian”! Nitrogen pushes out oxygen to keep potato chips crisp, extends the shelf life of bread, and even protects red wine from oxidation by filling bottles with nitrogen.

In industrial metallurgy, it acts as a “protective shield”! At high temperatures, nitrogen isolates materials from air to prevent metals from oxidizing, helping produce high-quality steel and aluminum alloys.

In medicine, liquid nitrogen is a “freezing master”! At −196°C, it instantly freezes cells and tissues, preserving valuable biological samples, and can also treat skin conditions, such as easily removing warts.

Although nitrogen makes up 78% of the air, in a confined space a nitrogen leak can cause suffocation. Therefore, when using it, one must prevent oxygen displacement, ensure proper ventilation, and monitor oxygen levels in the environment.