Find Oxygen (O) and Nitrogen (N) on the periodic table provided below. In 3 sentences, compare and contrast the two elements. Describe the characteristics that make Oxygen different from Nitrogen and the characteristics that make Oxygen similar to Nitrogen. Things to consider would include, but not be limited to, their atomic structure and position on the periodic table.

Oxygen (O) and Nitrogen (N) are both found in group 15 and group 16 of the periodic table, respectively, with Oxygen being in period 2 and Nitrogen in period 2 as well. While both are nonmetals and essential for life, Oxygen has a higher electronegativity and atomic number (8) compared to Nitrogen (atomic number 7), which influences their reactivity and the types of compounds they form; Oxygen typically forms oxides and is highly reactive with metals, whereas Nitrogen is mainly found in a stable diatomic form (N₂) under standard conditions. Additionally, Oxygen plays a crucial role in respiration as an electron acceptor in cellular processes, while Nitrogen is primarily involved in forming amino acids and nucleotides, making each element vital yet distinct in their biological functions.

n2 + 3h2 -> 2nh3

Nitrogen gas (N2) reacts with hydrogen gas (H2) to form ammonia (NH3), a well-known cleaning product present in many households. A scientist adds 6.7 grams of nitrogen gas to 19.3 grams of hydrogen gas to start the reaction. In this reaction, all of the nitrogen and hydrogen react. Before running the experiment, the scientist expected the products of the reaction to be a total of 26 grams of ammonia. In 1-2 sentences, explain the law that the scientist used to predict that the product of the reaction would be 26 grams of ammonia.

The scientist used the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means that the total mass of the reactants (6.7 grams of nitrogen gas and 19.3 grams of hydrogen gas, totaling 26 grams) must equal the total mass of the products, leading to the expectation of 26 grams of ammonia produced from the reaction.