Is neutral nitrogen the same as N2 (nitrogen gas)?

jailbait

I've read a lot of articles about neutral nitrogen and its properties, but I was wondering if it was or has the same properties as nitrogen gas, N2? Like in regards to its emission/absorbtion spectrum, is it the same as the emission spectrum of N2 gas? thanks

phyzguy

I'm not sure what you read, but there exist neutral nitrogen atoms, and there exist neutral N2 molecules. Both can exist, or even co-exist depending on the conditions. In Earth's atmosphere, virtually all of the nitrogen is neutral N2 gas. The spectrum of neutral N atoms will be different than the spectrum of N2 molecules, because the electronic structure is different. N2 molecules also have stretching, bending, and rotational modes that aren't present in N atoms, so N2 gas has additional spectral lines (these are mainly in the infrared).

jailbait

but do the spectrums of n2 and neutral nitrogen relate at all? do they share some of the same wavelengths?