Nitrogen Valence Electrons

Nitrogen Valence Electron Number
Nitrogen Valence Electron Configuration
Nitrogen Valence Electrons
Nitrogen Valence Electrons
Nitrogen Valence Electrons Lewis Structure
Nitrogen Valence Electrons And Covalent Bonds

There are a total of 18 valence electrons for the Lewis structure for NO2. Nitrogen is the least electronegative atom in the NO2- lewis structure and therefore goes in the center of the structure. Nitrogen is the seventh element with a total of 7 electrons. In writing the electron configuration for nitrogen the first two electrons will go in the 1s orbital. Since 1s can only hold two electrons the next 2 electrons for N goes in the 2s orbital. The remaining three electrons will go in the 2p orbital. Answer: Nitrogen have 5 valence electrons because it has 5 electrons in its outermost shell. Explanation: Nitrogen is the chemical element of atomic number 7, and largely occur as N₂ which is a colorless, odorless unreactive gas that forms about 78 percent of the earth's atmosphere. The nitrogen atom has 5 valence electrons that participate in chemical bonding. Two of these electrons occupy the 2s orbital while the remaining 3 occupy the 2p orbital. Therefore, the electron.

Lewis structure of NO₃^- ion is drawn step by step in this tutorial. Total valence electrons of nitrogen and oxygen atoms and negative charge are considered to draw the NO₃^- lewis structure. You will every fact of drawing lewis structures from this tutorial which will help you to draw more lewis structures in the future.

Lewis Structure of nitrite ion

Nitrogen Valence Electron Number

Now, we are going to learn, how to draw this lewis structure of NO₃^- ion.

Steps of drawing NO₃^- lewis structure

Following steps are required to draw NO₃^- lewis structure and they are explained in detail in this tutorial.

Find total number of electrons of the valance shells of nitrogen and oxygen atoms and including charge of the anion
Total electrons pairs in valence shells
Center atom selection from nitrogen and oxygen atom
Put lone pairs on atoms
Stability of lewis structure - Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds.

Drawing correct lewis structure is important to draw resonance structures. In another tutorial, we learn how to draw resonance structures of nitrate ion.

Total number of electrons of the valance shells of nitrogen and oxygen atoms and charge of the anion

There are one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms in the nitrate ion. Also there is a -1 charge on the nitrate ion.

Nitrogen and oxygen are located at VA and VIA groups respectively in the periodic table. So nitrogen has five electrons in its valence shell. In oxygen atom, there are six electrons in its valence shell.

Total valence electrons given by nitrogen atom = 5

There are three oxygen atoms in NO₃^-, Therefore

Total valence electrons given by oxygen atoms = 6 *3 = 18

Due to -1 charge, another electrons is added

Due to -1 charge, received electrons to valence electrons= 1

Total valence electrons = 5 + 18 + 1 = 24

Total valence electrons pairs

Total valance electrons pairs = σ bonds + π bonds + lone pairs at valence shells

Total electron pairs are determined by dividing the number total valence electrons by two. For, NO₂^-, there are 24 valence electrons, so total pairs of electrons are 12.

Center atom of NO₂^-

To be the center atom, ability of having greater valance is important. Nitrogen can show valence,5. But, oxygen's maximum valence is 2. Therefore nitrogen has the more chance to be the center atom (See the figure). So, now we can build a sketch of NO₃^- ion.

Sketch of NO₂^- ion

Lone pairs on atoms

There are already three N-O bonds in the sketch. Therefore only nine valence electrons pairs are remaining to draw the rest of ion.

Start to mark those nine valence electrons pairs on outside atoms (oxygen atoms) as lone pairs. One oxygen atom will take three lone pairs following the octal rule (oxygen and nitrogen atoms cannot keep more than eight electrons in their valence shells). All nine valence electrons pairs (9) are spent when lone pairs are marked on oxygen atoms.

Therefore, there is no ine valence electrons pairs to mark on nitrogen atom.

Check the stability of drawn NO₂^- ion and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds

Check charges on atoms and mark them as below. Charges are important to decide the lewis structure of the ion.

The drawn structure for NO₃^- is not a stable structure because oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms have charges. When a molecule or ion has so many charges on atoms, that structure is not stable.

Now, we should try to minimize charges by converting lone pair or pairs which exist on oxygen atoms to bonds. So we convert one lone pair of one oxygen atom as a N-O bond.

Now there is a double bond between nitrogen and one oxygen atom. There are also two single bonds (N-O) with nitrogen atom and other oxygen atoms.

In new structure, charges of atoms are reduced. Now there is no any charge on one oxygen atom. Also, charge of nitrogen atom is reduced from +2 to +1. Now you understand this structure of NO₃^- is more stable than previous structure due to less charges on atoms.

But, We cannot convert more lone pairs of other oxygen atom to make a bond with nitrogen atom because nitrogen cannot keep more than eight electrons in its last valence shell.

Questions

How many lone pairs are around the nitrogen atom in nitrate ion?

No electrons pairs exist on nitrogen atom. But, on nitrogen atom, there is a +1 charge. Around the nitrogen atom, there are two single bonds and double bond.

Lewis structure of nitric acid

There is a N=O bond in nitric acid lewis structure. There are no lone pairs on nitrogen atom and also there are charges on one oxygen atom and nitrogen atom. You can see those signs in the following figure.

Steps of drawing lewis structure of HNO₃

There are some steps to follow to draw the HNO₃ lewis structure and those steps are explained in detail in this tutorial.

Find total number of electrons of the valance shells of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms
Total electrons pairs
Center atom selection
Put lone pairs on atoms
Mark charges
Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds.

Important: Drawing correct lewis structure is important to draw resonance structures correctly.

Total number of electrons of the valance shells of HNO₃ acid

Hydrogen is a group IA element and has one electron in its last shell. Nitrogen is located at group VA and has five electrons in its valence shell. Oxygen is a group VIA element in the periodic table and contains six electrons. Now we know how many electrons are includes in valence shells of each atom.

valence electrons given by hydrogen atom = 1
valence electrons given by nitrogen atom = 5
valence electrons given by oxygen atoms = 6 *3 = 18

Total valence electrons = 1 + 5 + 18 = 24

Total valence electrons pairs

Total valance electrons pairs = σ bonds + π bonds + lone pairs at valence shells

Total electron pairs are determined by dividing the number total valence electrons by two. For, HNO₃, Total pairs of electrons are 12 in their valence shells.

Center atom of HNO₃

To be the center atom, ability of having greater valance is important. Then, from hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which atom has the highest valence. Nitrogen can show valence five which is greater than maximum valence of oxygen two. Therefore, nitrogen atom should be the center atom of HNO₃.

Lone pairs on atoms

After determining the center atom and sketch of HNO₃, we should start to mark lone pairs on atoms.

There are already three N-O bonds and one O-H in the drawn sketch structure. Therefore number of total bonds in the sketch is four. Now only eight (12-4) valence electrons pairs are remaining to mark on atoms.
First, mark those remaining eight valence electrons pairs as lone pairs in outside atoms (on oxygen atoms). Because oxygen atom follow octal rule (oxygen atom cannot keep more than eight electrons in its valence shell) be careful to protect it.
After marking lone pairs on oxygen atoms, there is no more lone pairs to mark on nitrogen atom (That is not a problem in steps of drawing lewis structures!)

Charges on atoms

After, marking electron pairs on atoms, we should mark charges of each atom. Two oxygen atoms will get a -1 charge and nitrogen atom get a +2 charge.

Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds

Best lewis structure should have low charges on atoms.

Oxygen atoms should hold negative charges because electronegativity of oxygen is higher than nitrogen. Otherwise, we can say, ability of holding negative charges is great in oxygen atoms than nitrogen atom.
The drawn structure is not a stable one because two oxygen atoms and nitrogen atom have charges.
Now, we should try to minimize charges by converting lone pair or pairs to bonds. So convert one lone pair of one oxygen atom to make a S-O bond (See the following figure).
Now there is a double bond between nitrogen atom and one oxygen atom. Now, there are two single bonds between nitrogen atom and other two oxygen atoms.

Nitrogen Valence Electron Configuration

In the new structure of HNO₃, charges are reduced. Therefore, this is the best lewis structure we can draw for HNO₃.

Questions

Are there lone pairs on nitrogen atom in HNO₃ lewis structure?

There are no lone pairs on nitrogen atom. There are two N-O bonds and one N=O bond. So, there is +1 charge on nitrogen atom.