A model for the pulsed nitrogen laser is proposed and a scaling parameters are identi edrnso as to enable to study a laser over its range of discharge modes. This result is explainedrnfor the critically damped case and the more typical case of damping factor of 0:4. Thernanalysis shows that in a typical nitrogen laser the rate of rise of nitrogen lase gap voltagerndVgrnd prior to laser breakdown is 0:5KVrnns and experiment reported in the literature suggestsrnthat dVgrnd is required for uniform breakdown across the laser gap as a pre-requisite for goodrnlasing action