How does the triple bond in nitrogen gas affect its chemical reactions?

The triple bond in nitrogen gas ($N_2$) is characterized by an exceptionally high bond energy of 226 kilocalories per mole, a value surpassed only by carbon monoxide. This high bond energy results in a very high activation energy for chemical reactions, which renders molecular nitrogen relatively inert to most reagents under ordinary conditions.1

Because of this stability, nitrogen molecules are much less likely to react upon collision with other molecules compared to species like oxygen, allowing nitrogen to serve effectively as a diluent in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the strength of this triple bond is the primary reason nitrogen exists as a gaseous diatomic molecule rather than forming condensed, singly bonded polymers like other elements in its group.23

While elemental nitrogen is generally unreactive, it can be made to react by using high-tension electrical discharges to create an active form containing free nitrogen atoms, which are significantly more reactive than the stable $N_2$ molecule. Additionally, researchers are exploring the use of nitrogen molecules as ligands in complex coordination compounds, which may eventually lead to improved methods of nitrogen fixation.1