High School

Compared to \(\text{N}_2\), do all four of the other nitrogen compounds have larger formal charges?

A. True
B. False

Answer :

Final answer:

It's not accurate to say that all nitrogen compounds always have a larger formal charge than nitrogen in N2. Formal charges of nitrogen vary depending on the number and type of bonds, and the presence of lone pairs on the nitrogen atom. So, the correct answer is option b) false.

Explanation:

The question asks whether all four nitrogen compounds have larger formal charges compared to N2. This statement is false. When nitrogen forms N2, each nitrogen atom is involved in a triple bond with the other nitrogen atom and has one lone pair of electrons, resulting in a formal charge of zero for each nitrogen atom.

For the given nitrogen compound with one double bond, two single bonds, and a +1 formal charge, the formal charge is indeed higher than in N2. However, the formal charge can vary for different nitrogen compounds. For example, if a nitrogen has three bonds and a lone pair (as in ammonia, NH3), it will have a formal charge of zero. A negatively charged nitrogen with two bonds and two lone pairs will have a negative formal charge.