Question 10 of 43intermediate🔧 ApplyDiagram3 marks

Nitrogen has five valence electrons. Draw the structure of the nitrogen molecule (N₂).

Correct Answer

Nitrogen has five valence electrons and requires three more electrons to attain a stable electronic configuration.

In a nitrogen molecule, two nitrogen atoms share three electrons each with one another. This sharing results in three shared pairs of electrons, which holds the two nitrogen atoms together as a molecule.

Since three pairs of electrons are shared between the two atoms, they are said to be joined by a triple bond. The structure of the nitrogen molecule can be depicted by drawing three lines between the two nitrogen atoms as N≡N.

Exercise: Pause and Ponder | Q: 8 | (Page 9)
For More Understanding

Explanation

Following the pattern established in the context for chlorine (needs 1 electron, shares 1 pair, single bond Cl—Cl) and oxygen (needs 2 electrons, shares 2 pairs, double bond O=O), nitrogen needs 3 electrons to complete its octet (8 - 5 = 3). Therefore, two nitrogen atoms share 3 pairs of electrons, resulting in a triple bond represented as N≡N.

Solution Steps

  1. Step 1: Identify that nitrogen has 5 valence electrons and needs 3 more to complete its octet.

  2. Step 2: Conclude that two nitrogen atoms will share 3 pairs of electrons to form N₂.

  3. Step 3: Represent the triple bond formed by sharing 3 pairs of electrons as N≡N.

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