Final answer:
Nitrogen, with an atomic number of seven, has seven electrons that are arranged in two electron shells. The first shell is limited to two electrons, with the remaining five occupying the second shell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The atomic number of an element is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom of that element. For nitrogen, which has an atomic number of seven, this means there are seven protons. In a neutral atom of nitrogen, there will also be seven electrons. These electrons are arranged in energy levels or electron shells around the nucleus.
The distribution of electrons across these shells follows a specific order. The first shell can hold up to two electrons, and the second shell can hold up to eight. Therefore, since nitrogen has seven electrons, it would fill the first shell with two electrons and the remaining five will go into the second shell. Thus, nitrogen has two electron shells.
Key information:
- Nitrogen has seven electrons.
- The first electron shell can hold two electrons.
- The second electron shell holds the remaining five electrons, showing nitrogen has two shells.