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------------------------------------------------ Nitrogen is atomic number 7. Draw one atom of nitrogen with a -1 charge. Show the numbers and locations of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Is this atom stable or unstable? Describe how you know.

A nitrogen atom with a 1+ charge has 7 protons, typically 7 neutrons, and 6 electrons, making it an unusual and likely unstable species as nitrogen typically forms an anion.

Explanation:

An atom of nitrogen (N) with a 1 charge, known as a nitrogen cation, would have one less electron than its neutral state. Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, which tells us it has 7 protons. Therefore, a neutral nitrogen atom also has 7 electrons to balance the positive charge of the protons. The electron configuration of neutral nitrogen is 1s2 2s2 2p3, indicating 2 electrons in the inner shell and 5 electrons in the outer shell.

To represent a nitrogen atom with a 1+ charge, we would depict 7 protons in the nucleus and typically 7 neutrons, as this provides a stable ratio close to 1:1 which is ideal for lighter elements. However, as the nitrogen atom now has a positive charge, it must have lost an electron, so this ion will have only 6 electrons.

The stability of this ion is unusual as nitrogen more commonly forms an anion (N3-) to achieve stability by filling its outer electron shell to resemble the noble gas neon; thus, a nitrogen cation is likely unstable and reactive.