Question

a nitrogen atom contains seven protons, seven neutrons, and seven electrons. Make a labeled drawing of the structure of a nitrogen atom. How can this atom become stable?

Answer 1

A nitrogen atom can achieve stability if an atom of another element gives nitrogen three electrons or shares three electrons with it. Below is an explanation and drawing about the nitrogen atom.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nitrogen atom contains seven protons, seven neutrons and seven electrons. In the valence layer of the nitrogen atom are 5 electrons, this means that this atom needs to gain 3 electrons to reach its stability since there is a rule that each atom needs to have 8 electrons in its valence layer to achieve stability, except for the hydrogen atom that only needs 2 electrons. Because of this rule, it is necessary for the nitrogen atom to receive 3 electrons from another atom, or to share 3 electrons with another atom, an example of which are compounds N2 and NH3.

Answer 2

The nucleus contains 7 protons (positively charged) and 7 neutrons (no charge). In the first electron orbital, you have 2 electrons (negatively charged). In the second orbital you have 5 electrons. The atom would become stable if the outer electron orbital was filled. Because the second orbital can hold up to eight electrons, you need to have three more electrons to fill it. This would require another nitrogen atom--the two atoms become hybridized and effectively share each other's valence electrons. What you end up with is two nitrogen atoms joined together with a triple bond, where each nitrogen atom shares three valence electrons with the other, and each also has two unshared valence electrons. That is why atmospheric nitrogen exists as N2.