Main-group element Main-group element In chemistry and atomic physics, the main group is the group of elements whose lightest members are represented by helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine as arranged in the periodic table of the elements. The main group includes the elements (except hydrogen, which is sometimes not included) in groups 1 and 2 (s-block), and groups 13 to 18 (p-block). The s-block elements are primarily characterised by one main oxidation state, and the p-block elements, when they have multiple oxidation states, often have common oxidation states separated by two units. Main-group elements (with some of the
Solid nitrogen transparent sheet layer of annealed nitrogen ice, often referred to as a "glaze". Geysers of nitrogen gas were observed by "Voyager 2" to spew from the subpolar regions around Triton's southern polar ice cap. A possible explanation of this observed phenomenon is that the sun shines through the transparent layer of nitrogen ice, heating the layers beneath. Nitrogen sublimes and eventually erupts through holes in the upper layer, carrying dust along with it and creating dark streaks. Solid nitrogen Solid nitrogen is the solid form of the element nitrogen. It is an important component of the surfaces of Pluto and